GIFT  OF 

THOMAS   RUTHERFORD  BACON 
MEfs^ORlAL  LIBRARY 


DEMOCRACY    IN    THE 
CHURCH 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Arciiive 

in  2007  with  funding  from 

IVIicrosoft  Corporation 


http://www.archive.org/details/democracyinchurcOOheerrich 


DEMOCRACY  IN  THE 
CHURCH 


BY 


EDGAR    L.   HEERMANCE 
If 


THE    PILGRIM    PRESS 
NEW  YORK  BOSTON  CHICAGO 


1906 


Hf 


Copyright  1906 
By  EDGAR    L.    HEERMANCE 


J.  Horace  McFarland  Company 
Harriaburg,  Pa. 


^ 


^thmtion 

TO    PROFESSOR    GEORGE    P.    FISHER: 

May  I  dedicate  this  volume  to  you,  as  a  slight 
tribute  to  your  services  for  Congregationalism  and 
the  Church  Universal  and  as  a  grateful  recogni- 
tion of  your  life -long  interest  in  me  and  mine? 

E.    L.    H. 


282104 


PREFACE 

Democracy  Is  a  sacred  word  among  us  in  America, 
not  only  in  the  State  but  in  the  Church.  In  American 
Protestantism,  more  than  forty  per  cent  of  the  churches 
have  Democracy  as  the  basis  of  their  polity.  If  we  include 
indirect  democracy,  nearly  all  our  churches  may  be  classed 
as  democratic.  It  is  this  theme.  Democracy  in  the 
Church,  which  we  set  before  us.  We  shall  study  it  from 
the  standpoint  of  one  of  the  democratic  bodies,  the 
Congregationalists. 

For  many  years  there  has  been  no  treatise  on  Congrega- 
tional polity.  Statements  of  polity  have  appeared,  and  his- 
tories, but  no  fresh  attempt  to  draw  democratic  principles 
from  their  source  and  lead  them,  Hfe-giving,  across  the 
fields  of  church  activity.  Dexter,  Ross  and  Ladd  served 
a  previous  generation.  But  the  years  since  their  works 
were  published  have  been  full  of  change.  The  sciences  of 
Exegesis  and  Church  History  have  made  great  advance, 
and  with  this  advance  comes  the  need  of  readjustment  in 
the  theories  of  church  polity.  New  problems  have  arisen 
in  our  denominational  life.  The  present  air  is  filled  with 
clamorous  voices,  demanding  a  more  centralized  polity,  or 
warning  us  that  any  step  in  that  direction  is  a  sale  of  our 
birthright.  "We  must  become  more  compact,"  say  some, 
"if  we  are  to  do  our  work  in  the  Kingdom.  Consolidation 
is  the  tendency  of  the  age."  "What  is  wanted,"  says 
another,  "is  not  a  change  of  system  but  a  change  of  heart." 

(vii) 


Vlll  PREFACE 

Which  is  right,  or  are  both  right  ?  This  unrest  is  common 
to  all  democratic  bodies  today.  It  is  time  that  democratic 
church  polity  should  be  stated  again,  in  the  light  of  mod- 
ern scholarship  and  in  terms  of  the  age  in  which  we  live. 

Today  we  hear  everywhere  the  demand  for  Christian 
unity,  that  we  put  an  end  to  the  evils  and  losses  which 
come  from  a  divided  Church.  It  is  a  note  all  the  denomi- 
nations must  heed.  In  the  face  of  it  they  must  justify  their 
existence.  Each  body  of  churches  must  set  itself  to  deter- 
mine what  in  its  polity  is  essential  and  what  is  not.  Only 
the  essential  is  worth  standing  for  in  this  practical  age. 
Among  Congregationalists  and  sister  bodies,  Democracy  in 
the  Church  is  on  trial.  If  this  is  fundamental  in  the  Chris- 
tian Church,  let  us  live  for  it  and  die  for  it.  If  not,  it  is 
merely  standing  in  the  way  of  a  united  and  efficient 
Church.  We  must  ask  anew  whence  that  Democracy  is 
derived,  what  it  means,  and  how  far  it  involves  a  separate 
denominational  life.  Here  again  is  a  need  for  the  restate- 
ment of  our  polity,  perhaps  a  series  of  restatements  by  dif- 
ferent hands.  The  steps  we  have  recently  taken,  looking 
toward  union  with  United  Brethren  and  Methodist  Prot- 
estants, have  made  the  need  imperative.  This  is  the 
apology  for  our  book ;  it  aims  to  supply  a  need. 

Our  book  deals  with  the  problems  common  to  Church 
Democracy  the  world  over.  We  have  borne  constantly  in 
mind  the  history  and  present  conditions  and  needs  of  sister 
bodies.  But  we  have  felt  that  we  could  be  of  more  service 
by  looking  at  the  subject  from  within  one  of  the  demo- 
cratic bodies  than  by  looking  at  it  from  without  all  of  them. 
Hence,  as  has  been  said,  the  standpoint  of  the  book  is  that 
of  American  Congregationalism,  and  this  fact  will  explain 
the  selection  of  material  in  the  later  chapters.    So  far  as  is 


PREFACE  IX 

known,  every  important  action  or  paper  which  has  appeared 
in  recent  years,  up  to  the  time  of  going  to  press,  has  been 
studied  and  utilized.  But  Congregationalism  is  moving  so 
rapidly  that  completeness  is  difficult  and  finality  of  treat- 
ment impossible.  We  merely  seize  the  present  moment  for 
an  attempt  to  register  and  interpret  some  tendencies  at 
present  existing.  An  Appendix  of  documents  is  added,  as 
an  aid  to  further  study  and  as  offering  many  practical 
suggestions  to  the  churches. 

Thanks  are  due  to  Professor  Williston  Walker,  Presi- 
dent Charles  H.  Cooper,  Dr.  George  R.  Merrill  and  others 
who  have  kindly  assisted  by  criticism  or  the  furnishing  of 
material.  The  author  will  welcome  further  criticisms  and 
suggestions,  with  a  view  to  recasting  the  work  in  a  more 
permanent  form  at  some  future  time,  if  the  reception  war- 
rants. In  its  present  form  it  is  tentative,  with  something 
of  the  character  of  a  tract  for  the  times. 

EDGAR  L.  HEERMANCE 

Mankato,  Minn.,  December  ig^  190S 


ANALYSIS  OF  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  I 

METHOD  OF  APPROACH 
Two  assumptions:  pack 

1.  The  Church  is  founded  on  Christ;   relation  of  this  truth  to 

the  Protestant  doctrine  of  Sacred  Scripture i 

2.  Each  age  is  free  to  adapt  Christ's  principles  to  its  particu- 

lar needs 3 

Permanent  and  transitory  elements  in  the  Church ;  the  proper  use 

of  precedents 2 

Plan  of  the  work,  as  determined  by  these  two  assumptions     ...  3 


CHAPTER  n 

THE   CHURCH  IN  THE   TEACHING  OF  JESUS 

First  reference  to  the  Ecclesia,  following  Peter's  confession    ...  4 
What  this  passage  gives  us : 

(a)  The  idea  of  a  distinct  religious  community 5 

(b)  The  idea  of  an  authority  to  be  vested  in  the  Church  ...  6 

Promise  made  to  Peter  as  the  first  Christian 6 

Repeated  in  Matt.  18  and  other  passages 7 

Christ  ''in  the  midst  ";  His  identification  with  the  disciple    ...  8 

Reason  for  this  identification :  the  redemption  of  the  world  ...  9 

Why  Christ  chose  a  collective  agency 9 

Christ's  second  reference  to  the  Ecclesia: 

Offences  within  the  Christian  community,  the  law  of  brother- 

liness 10 

Simplicity  of  Christ's  ideal ;  the  Church  to  embody  the  spiritual 

Kingdom n 

(xi) 


Xll  ANALYSIS    OF    CONTENTS 

The  four  essentials  of  a  church :  page 

(fl)  A  company  of  Christians. 

(b)  Close  and  permanent  association. 

(c)  Promotion  of  the  Kingdom  as  their  object. 

{d)  Genuine  loyalty 12 

Official  presumption  rebuked  ;  an  earthly  democracy 13 

The  essential  unity  of  the  Church 14 


CHAPTER  III 

THE   NATURE   OF  CHRIST'S   LORDSHIP   IN   THE   EARLY 
CHURCH 

Two  objections  to  the  foregoing  inferences,  one  critical,  the  other 
exegetical ;  must  be  tested  by  the  actual  organization  of 

the  primitive  Church  .   .    . 15 

Distinct  Christian  communities    from    the    beginning;    "house- 
churches"  15 

Use  of  the  word  ecclesia;  each  church  complete  in  itself ;  merely 

a  spiritual  unity 16 

Picture  of  the  church  at  Corinth 17 

The  "prophetic  ministry" 19 

The  local  office-bearers;  two  qualifications,  service  and  "gifts"  .  20 

The  mooted  question  of  "presbyters" ;si 

Paul's  letters  are  addressed  to  the  church  membership 22 

His  relation  to  these  churches ;  claims  merely  a  moral  authority    .  23 

Personal  responsibility  of  each  Christian  to  Christ 24 

A  case  of  church  discipline 24 

"The  body  of  Christ" 25 

Shows  his  idea  of  the  nature  of  their  democracy 26 

Paul's  practical  idealism 26 

An  inspired  community ;  the  priesthood  of  believers 27 

Fruits  of  Christian  democracy ;   Christ's  words  justified  and  our 

induction  proved 27 


ANALYSIS  OF  CONTENTS  XUl 

CHAPTER  IV 

THE   PASSING  OF  DEMOCRACY 

Changes  in  the  local  office-bearers ;  three  stages :  pagi 

(a)  The  church  board  taking  over  the  functions  of  the  pro- 
phetic ministry. 

{b)  A  single  bishop,  serving  under  the  board 28 

(c)  Letters  of  Ignatius ;  the  bishop  as  president  of  the  church 

board  ;  a  three-fold  ministry      29 

The    bishop    comes  to    be  voucher   for  Tradition,    a    historical 

succession 30 

Passing  of  the  prophetic  ministry;  failure  of  the  Montanist  revolt.  31 

Early  church  synods,  their  democratic  character 32 

The  work  of  Cyprian 33 

The  fiction  of  Apostolic  Succession 33 

The  ministry  becomes  a  mediating  priesthood 34 

Summary  of  the  changes  under  Cyprian  ;  externalizing  of  the  idea 

of  the  Church 35 

Was  the  resulting  Catholic  System  in  line  with  Christ's  prin- 
ciples ? 36 

Democracy  as  feasible  in  the  later  centuries  as  in  the  first  ....  36 

Could  Democracy  have  done  the  work  required  ? 37 

Comparison  with  the  Catholic  System 

(a)  On  the  side  of  the  propagation  of  Christianity 37 

{b)  On  the  side  of  the  unity  of  Christendom 39 

Natural  fruits  of  the  Catholic  System 42 

CHAPTER  V 

THE   RENASCENCE   OF  DEMOCRACY 

The  emancipating  work  of  the  Reformation 43 

Why  the  Reformers  stopped  short  of  a  pure  democracy 43 

Return  of   the  "Reformed"  churches  to  the  model  of  the  early 

third  century 44 

A  return  to  the  Biblical  model : 

((fl)  The  Anabaptists 45 

{b)  Robert  Browne  and  English  Separatism 45 


XIV  ANALYSIS    OF     CONTENTS 

FAGS 

Summaty  of  Browne's  system 46 

His  achievement  and  influence 48 

Barrowism 49 

The  Scrooby-Leyden-Plymouth  church 51 

The  "  Congregationalizing  of  Puritanism " 52 

Formulation  of  Congregational  polity ;  the  Cambridge  Platform  .  54 
Tendencies  in  Congregational  history  to  the  Great  Awakening : 

1.  The  Presbytery ;  its  rapid  disappearance 55 

2.  Status  of  the  Ministry ;  rise  of  a  semi-sacerdotalism    ...  56 

3.  Church  Membership.     The  status  of  baptized  children  left 

open ^ 57 

Two  tendencies.    The  Half-way  Covenant ;  views  of  Solo- 
mon Stoddard 58 

4.  Connection  betiveen  the  Churches.     The  Middle  Way  .   .  60 
Tendency  toward  centralization ;    the  consociation  system 

in  Connecticut 61 

Opposite  tendency  in  Massachusetts  ;   John  Wise 62 

5.  Relation  of  Church  and  State ;    union   less  close  in  Ply- 

mouth and  Connecticut.     Interferes  with  liberty  of  con- 
science      62 

The  Baptists  as  radical  Brownists 64 

Their  rigid  insistence  on  a  regenerate  membership  ;    separation    .  64 
Corollaries  of  this  principle : 

{a)  Believers'    baptism 65 

{b)  Liberty  of  conscience,   involving  absolute  separation  of 

Church  and  State 65 

(r)   Right  of  Christian  association 67 

The  Congregational  churches  in  the  i8th  century 68 

Effects  of  the  Great  Awakening 68 

Nathaniel  Emmons     69 

His  "Jacobinism" 70 

Summary  of  his  system 70 

The  triumph  of  a  pure  democracy 72 

The  idea  of  Fellowship;    differentiates  Congregationalism  from 

other  democratic  bodies 72 

Other  American  churches ;   enforced  voluntarism 73 

The  Presbyterians;   an  indirect  democracy 73 

Methodism 74 

Tke  Episcopalians 75 


ANALYSIS    OF     CONTENTS  XV 

CHAPTER  VI 
INTERPRETATIONS   OF  DEMOCRACY 

FAGK 

Importance  of  the  democratic  renascence  : 

{a)  Recovery  of  the  right  of  local  association  ;  what  this  in- 
volves            76 

(b)  Recovery  of  the  right  of  private  judgment,  as  carried  to 

its  logical  conclusion 77 

How  these  rights  are  modified  by  the  doctrine  of  fellowship  ...      78 
Two  interpretations  of  the  fundamental  democracy  of  the  Church  : 

(a)  Theory  of  delegated  powers  ;  an  indirect  democracy  ...      79 

{b)  Theory  of  associated  powers ;  a  direct  democracy  ....      80 

Congregationalism  defined 81 

Digression  on  the  term  "church";  may  be  used  in  a  real  or  an 

ideal  sense 81 

The  two  theories  contrasted 82 

How  far  is  it  possible  or  wise  to  delegate  residual  powers  ? 

Appeal  to  the  analogy  of  American  civil  government    ....      84 

CHAPTER    VII 

A  DEMOCRATIC   STATE   AND  A   DEMOCRATIC   CHURCH 

Close  connection  between  Congregationalism  and  the  American 

State 85 

The  Mayflower  compact 85 

Congregationalism  supplies  two  legal  fictions : 

(a)  All  men  are  created  equal 87 

(b)  Social  compact  is  the  basis  of  government 87 

Congregationalism  and  the  representative  principle  make  an  indi- 
rect democracy  possible ;  the  American  State  germi- 
nally  complete 88 

Proof  from  other  colonies : 

Connecticut 89 

Providence  and  Rhode  Island 90 

New  Haven 91 

The  later  history  of  the  American  State 92 


XVI  ANALYSIS    OF    CONTENTS 

PACK 

Why  has  Congregationalism  continued  to  be  only  a  direct  democ- 
racy ? 92 

The  two  truths  at  the  basis  of  our  American  government : 
(a)  Powers  reside  in  the  individual  citizens ; 

{b)  Self-government  generates  responsibility 93 

Democracy  indirect  only  in  such  matters   as  demand  collective 

action 93 

Democracy  in  the  Church  based  on  the  same  truths 94 

Possible  functions  of  a  legislative  body  in  the  Church  : 

1.  Legislative.     Creed-making;  the  inevitable  dilemma  .   .    .      94 
Similar  failure  of  legislation  in  the  sphere  of  conduct  ...      96 

Christ  the  o^ily  law-giver 97 

Necessary  difference  between  the  Church  and  the  State    .   .      98 

2.  Judicial.     Christ  gave  no  such  function  to  the  Church  ;  the 

family  vs.  the  law-court 98 

3.  Administrati've.     Matters  which  demand  collective  action; 

analogy  of  the  State 100 

The  power  here  residing  in  the  Church  is  cumulative  .   .   .  loi 

May  be  delegated  for  the  sake  of  greater  efficiency  ....  loi 
Representative  bodies,  when  confined  to  administration,  do 

not  endanger  liberty 102 

Conclusion  :  the  proper  proportions  of  direct  and  indirect  democ- 
racy in  the  Church 103 


CHAPTER  VIII 

THE   BASIS   FOR   CHURCH   UNITY 

Bearing  of  these  conclusions  on  the  problem  of  Church  unity ; 

ultimately  a  question  of  polity 104 

1.  A  reunion  of  Christendom  will  not  come  through  absorp- 

tion       104 

2.  Must  be  inclusive  rather  than  exclusive 105 

The  Lambeth  Quadrilateral 105 

Its  inadequacy;  historical  injustice  of  the  "deposit"  theory.  106 

3.  The  Disciples,  in  their  attempt  to  reproduce  the  Apostolic 

Church,  have  made  the  same  error 106 


ANALYSIS     OF     CONTENTS  XVll 

PAGE 

4.  Creeds  not  necessarily  divisive ;  real  point  at  issue  the  at- 

tempt to  assume  legislative  and  judicial  functions     .   .    .  107 

Historical  instances  of  their  divisive  character 108 

5.  Creed-making  and    judicial   bodies  stand    in  the  way  of 

reunion  ;  futility  of  diplomacy 109 

6.  The  Congregational  proposals;   the  parish  system  modified 

and  extended no 

Local  variety  within  one  administrative  whole in 

Division  into  schools  rather  than  into  sects in 

Necessary  congregationalizing  of  the  American  churches  in 

their  external  relations 113 

But  not  internally 113 

7    Beginning  at  the  lower  end 113 

The  witness  of  Congregationalism  ;  need  of  cultivating  a 

still  larger  inclusiveness 113 

Our  relation  to  the  United  Church  of  the  future 115 

Comity,  while  we  wait  for  unity 116 


CHAPTER    IX 

FELLOWSHIP   AND   OVERSIGHT 

Need  of  developing  an   administrative  system   in   Congregation- 
alism   118 

Material  for  such  a  system  which  already  exists 118 

1.  The  Council.    Called  to  settle  difficulties;  a  distinguishing 

feature  of  Congregational  polity 119 

Its  nature  and  value 119 

Fails  today  in  other  functions 120 

"Parochial  selfishness";  some  remedies  suggested    ....  121 

2.  Must  be  supplemented   by  Associations,    or  Conferences.  122 

Their  rapid  development  in  the  last  century 122 

The  key  to  the  problem  of  local  oversight.     Recent  experi- 
ments : 

(a)  The  Boston  plan ,    123 

{b)  The  Maine  plan  1 124 

{c)  The  California  Plan 125 


XVlll  ANALYSIS    OF    CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Superiority  of  the  latter ;  why  it  is  more  efficient  than  the 
Council 126 

The  function  of  fitting  ministers  to  churches  should  be 
added      127 

Plan  of  nomination ;  its  superiority  to  Conference  "  ap- 
pointment"     128 

3.  Home  Missionary  Superintendents,     The  "moral  episco- 

pate"; present  anomalies 129 

Its  possible  development  in  the  future 130 

The  elasticity  of  Congregational  polity ;  suggests  a  solu- 
tion of  the  question  of  organic  union  with  United 
Brethren 131 

4.  Local  Consolidation.     Some  recent  experiments  : 

{a)   City    federation :      the     United     Congregational 

Church  of  Newcastle 132 

{b)  The  collegiate  plan :  the  Westchester  Congrega- 
tional Church 134 

(f)  The  branch  church 137 

{d)  Yoking  stronger  and  weaker  churches r37 

CHAPTER  X 

THE    MINISTRY 

Christ's  conception  :  not  masters  but  servants 139 

How  the  early  Church  preserved  this  ideal 139 

Attempt  of  the  congregational  churches  to  apply  it  to  the  pro- 
fessional ministry 140 

Confusion  of  ideas  ;  need  of  a  better  adjustment 140 

1,  The  Ministry  in  general   simply   a  rank  of  service;    the 

priesthood  of  believers  must  be  preserved 141 

Need  of  correcting  sacerdotal  tendencies  in  Congregation- 
alism ;  means  suggested      142 

2.  The  professional  ministry ;  necessary  to  certify  qualifica- 

tions and  standing 143 

Laxness  of  the  present  system 144 

"Ordination"  should  be  put  in  the  hands  of  the  local  Con- 
ference      144 


ANALYSIS     OF     CONTENTS  XIX 

PAGE 

No  "ordo";  suggestions  toward  a  new  terminology  and 
procedure 146 

Plan  proposed  would  solve  certain  anomalies:  "ordination 
at  large";    the  evangelist ;  the  lay  preacher 147 

3.  The  multiple  ministry;  desirable  in  larger  churches    .    .    .     148 

4.  Relation  of  the  minister  to  his  church  ;  Paul's  doctrine  of 

"gifts" 149 

The  democratic  ideal  considered  in  detail : 

{a)  The  life  of  the  church  ;  importance  of  the  individual    .   .     150 

"Members  one  of  another" 151 

{b)  The  worship  of  the  church  ;  to  each  a  gift 151 

(f)  The  work  of  the  church  ;  havoc  wrought  by  the  profes- 
sional ministry ;  revival  of  the  idea  of  the  church  as  a 

working  body 152 

(d)  The  government  of  the  church  ;   participation  of  every 

member  through  the  mass-meeting 153 

Note  as  to  voting ;  minors  and  women 154 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE    BAPTISMAL   COVENANT 

Reasons  for  discussing  the  subject  of  Baptism 155 

Immersion  the  primitive  form 155 

Change  natural  and  legitimate 156 

Baptism  of  infants  in  the  early  Church  probable  but  not  certain  .  157 

The  significance  of  Christian  baptism:  Jesus'  relation  to  the  rite  .  157 

Two  historical  sources  :  Jewish  baptism  and  the  baptism  of  John  .  158 

Fused  into  a  new  rite,  the  covenant  of  adoption 159 

The  term  "covenant"  in  the  New  Testament ,  160 

Confusion   in  early  Congregationalism  between  the  covenant  of 

grace  and  the  church  covenant 160 

The  Church  and  the  Household  of  God  are  not  identical  ....  i6i 
Baptism  of  children  as  the  "seal"  of  God's  covenant  of  grace,  the 
symbol   of    admission  to    the    Household    or    Kingdom 

rather  than  to  the  Church 162 

Helps  to  realize  Christ's  ideal  of  Christian  nurture 164 


XX  ANALYSIS    OF    CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Influence  of  Horace  Bushnell 165 

Plan  of  formal  covenant  by  the  church  in  infant  baptism  ....  165 
This  theory  avoids  both  extremes,  individualism  and  sacramen- 

tarianism 166 

The  church  covenant;  view  of  the  Cambridge  Platform     ....  167 

Realizes  Christ's  ideal  of  the  church  as  an  active  body 168 

Must  avoid  the  fallacy  of  the  social  compact 169 

Possible  separation  of  baptism  and  church  membership  for  adults.  169 

The  sacraments  as  ordinances  of  the  visible  Church 170 

Conditions  of  church  membership  ;  broader  idea  of  "  regeneration" 

today 170 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE   WORK   OF   THE    CHURCH 

Missionary  activity  involved  in  the  very  nature  of  the  Church    .   .     172 
Democracy  means  every  Christian  a  missionary;    "Apostolic  suc- 
cession"  172 

On  what  the  prosperity  of  a  church  depends 173 

The  democratic  churches  as  nurseries  of  missionary  zeal     ....     173 
Spheres  of  radiation  in  the  work  of  the  Church : 

1.  Local  missionary  and  evangelistic  work;  the  sense  of  indi- 

vidual responsibility 174 

2.  Organized  home  mission  work.      The  two  theories:    vol- 

untary societies  and  church  boards 175 

Why  the  latter  is  to  be  preferred 176 

{a)  Voluntary  societies  of  Congregationalism  undemo- 
cratic, as  not  representative  of  the  churches ;  re- 
cent changes 177 

(b)  Overlapping  on  the  present  system 178 

Further  specifications  with  reference  to  "Home  Missions": 
{c)  Friction  between  the  Society  and  the  "auxiliary" 

states 179 

{d)  An  unfortunate  distinction  ;    the  cry  for  "  Home 

Rule" 179 

{e)  Tendency  to  pauperize  the  aided  states 180 

(/)  Givers  have  let  the  Society  do  their  work  for  them.     180 


ANALYSIS    OF    CONTENTS  XXI 

PAGE 

Springfield  meeting ;  revolution  in  the  Home  Missionary 
Society  along  democratic  lines i8o 

Distinction  between  the  states  retained,  however,  with  some 
modifications 182 

Reconstruction  of  the  theory  of  home  missions ;  the  local 
Conference  as  "  the  churches  at  work  " 185 

Extension  of  the  principle  to  the  state  home  missionary 
society 186 

And  to  the  national 186 

Should  involve  the  identification  of  the  state  Associations 
and  National  Council  with  these  missionary  societies  .   .    187 

Building  an  adequate  administrative  system 188 

Lessons  from  other  bodies  ;  the  new  constitution  of  the  Con- 
gregational Union  of  England  and  Wales 188 

Foreign  mission  work  ;  a  distinct  corporation  required    .   .    191 

Democratizing  of  the  American  Board  ;  lessons  in  mission- 
ary administration  taught  by  the  Rockefeller  dispute    .   .    191 


CHAPTER  XIII 

CONCLUSION 

What  democracy  in  the  Church  means :  the   continuous  leader- 
ship of  the  Spirit 193 

Not  a  mystical  but  a  practical  doctrine 193 

The  sole  lordship  of  Christ,  negatively 194 

Positively 194 

Congregationalism  the  attempt  to  realize  this  Lordship  in  practical 

church  life      194 

Its  mission  in  the  American  Church 195 

Probable  changes  in  our  polity 195 

The  place  of  a  democratic  Church  in  American  life 196 

Personal  responsibility  ;  realizing  Christ's  ideal 197 


XXll  ANALYSIS    OF    CONTENTS 

APPENDIX 

PAGE 

A.  Plan  of  Union  with  United  Brethren,  etc 201 

B.  Federation  of  Churches— The  Interdenominational  Com- 

mission of  Maine 208 

C.  Boston  Union  Conference 211 

D.  Cumberland  Conference,  Maine 215 

E.  Michigan  Plan  of  Fellowship  and  Oversight 218 

F.  Wisconsin  Plan  of  Unification 223 

G.  Congregational  Church  of  Newcastle,  N.  S.  W.  .   .   .  225 

H.    Westchester  Congregational  Church 230 

I.      Branch  Church,  Mankato,  Minn 242 

J.     Reception  of  Members  (Council  Manuel)      244 

K.   Congregational  Union  of  England  and  Wales    ....  247 

L.    Amended   Constitution   of  the   Congregational   Home 

Missionary  Society 258 


DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 


CHAPTER   I 

METHOD    OF  APPROACH 

We  start  out  on  a  reexamination  of  the  theory  of 
church  polity  with  but  two  assumptions,  both  of  which 
concern  method.  The  first  is  that  the  Christian  Church, 
like  the  Christian  religion  of  which  it  is  the  bearer,  is 
founded  on  Jesus  Christ.  Christianity,  as  a  historical  re- 
ligion, has  a  historical  person  for  its  founder,  lawgiver  and 
leader.  And  so  with  the  Church.  It  is  on  that  person,  on 
his  principles  of  church  polity  and  his  permanent  place  in 
the  Church,  that  we  shall  concentrate  attention. 

The  facts  needed  for  our  investigation  are  found  chiefly 
in  the  Bible,  and  Protestantism  has  made  the  Bible,  rather 
than  Christ,  the  formal  basis  of  the  Church.  Each  of  the 
Protestant  systems  has  attempted  to  give  the  New  Testa- 
ment scriptures  a  regulative  value,  even  in  the  details  of 
church  polity.  Congregationalism  in  particular  has  modeled 
its  usages  on  those  of  the  primitive  Church,  as  preserved 
in  the  narrative  of  the  New  Testament.  Without  meaning 
to  disparage  either  the  Bible  or  Protestantism,  we  lay  down 
the  truth  that  the  Christian  Church  is  founded  primarily 
on  Jesus  Christ,  and  only  secondarily  on  the  Bible.  The 
latter  has,  in  the  matter  of  church  polity,  not  a  regulative 

A  (x) 


.>    <.*    .'  ^,  / 

i^ll-y>^r  MihcKACY  in  the   church 

but  merely  an  interpretative  value.  The  Church  existed 
before  the  Bible,  w^hich  is,  in  a  sense,  its  product.  And 
even  those  Protestant  systems  which  supposed  themselves 
founded  on  a  divine  book  were  really  founded  on  a  divine 
person.  Only  a  few  sects,  such  as  the  Dunkards,  have 
been  consistent  in  their  attempt  to  make  the  Bible  the 
basis  of  the  Church,  and  such  attempts  have  always  ended 
in  absurdity.  It  is  time  that  we  recognized  this  fact  and 
revised  our  theories  accordingly.  The  movement  of  our 
age,  "Back  to  Christ,"  has  already  proved  fruitful  in  the 
field  of  doctrine.  It  is  likely  to  prove  equally  fruitful  in  the 
field  of  church  polity. 

The  doctrine  that  the  Church  is  founded  on  the  Bible 
is  true  in  this  sense,  that  it  is  founded  on  Christ  and  the 
Bible  preserves  and  interprets  him.  Our  first  assumption, 
therefore,  stated  more  explicitly,  is  this.  The  fundamental 
principles  of  the  Christian  Church  must  be  derived  from 
the  words  and  work  of  Christ  and  his  abiding  functions, 
as  we  find  these  recorded  in  Scripture  and  attested  by 
Christian  history. 

We  put  our  second  assumption  in  a  conditional  form,  in 
order  that  it  may  cover  a  method  rather  than  a  dogma.  If 
the  Christian  Church  is  a  divine  institution,  under  divine 
guidance,  it  must  be  free  at  any  period  to  adapt  the  funda- 
mental principles  which  it  derives  from  Christ  to  the 
exigencies  of  its  life.  So  far  as  it  follows  that  divine  guid- 
ance, it  is  not  only  free  to  do  so,  but  competent  to  do  so. 
We  believe  that  no  narrower  statement  than  this  can  do 
justice  to  the  facts  of  Christian  history  and  to  our  modern 
sense  of  historical  perspective. 

In  the  Church  as  an  institution  there  are  both  perma- 
nent and  transitory  elements.    The  permanent  are  derived 


METHOD     OF    APPROACH  3 

directly  from  Christ ;  the  transitory  are  the  result  of  chang- 
ing conditions  and  demands.  Conditions  may  change,  and 
with  them  the  forms  of  church  polity,  but  the  principles 
of  church  life  and  polity  abide, — the  same  principles,  how- 
ever adapted  or  logically  expended,  however  obscured,  it 
may  be,  by  the  place  given  in  any  age  to  extraneous  prin- 
ciples and  non-essential  forms.  Hence  principles,  not  prece- 
dents, must  be  the  guide  for  each  generation.  In  ecclesi- 
astical circles,  and  among  Congregationalists  as  much  as 
any,  usage  has  been  given  a  regulative  value.  Denomina- 
tional usage,  like  the  usage  of  the  New  Testament 
Church,  may  have  an  interpretative  value.  The  whole 
history  of  the  Church  may  be  so  used.  But  we  shall  in- 
sist, in  the  name  of  the  churches,  on  absolute  freedom  to 
apply  fundamental  principles  directly  to  present  conditions, 
whatever  may  have  been  the  usage  of  the  fathers.  The 
rule  must  be,  not  what  our  fathers  did  but  what  Our 
Father  would  have  us  do. 

The  plan  of  our  essay  is  determined  by  these  two 
assumptions.  They  explain  both  the  method  of  approach, 
the  use  made  of  Scripture  and  History,  and  the  greater  pro- 
portionate emphasis  on  the  modern  Church.  Our  study 
will  be  first  inductive  and  then  deductive.  After  deriving 
from  Christ's  teachings  the  fundamental  principles  of  church 
poHty,  we  shall  trace  these  briefly  through  the  course  of 
church  history  and  then  apply  them  to  various  phases  of 
church  life  in  the  present. 


CHAPTER   II 

THE    CHURCH   IN   THE    TEACHING    OF  JESUS 

As  Jesus'  work  was  to  be  carried  on  through  his  follow- 
ers, as  the  success  of  his  mission  depended  on  their  organi- 
zation into  a  distinct  religious  community,  we  should  ex- 
pect the  future  "Church"  to  be  much  in  his  thought.  We 
should  expect  to  find  references  to  it,  exphcit  or  impHcit, 
in  such  of  his  teachings  as  are  preserved  to  us.  These  ref- 
erences are  few  and  scattered,  but  they  may  prove  sufficient 
for  our  purpose. 

The  word  ecclesia  occurs  twice  in  the  Greek  version 
of  Jesus'  words.  The  first  reference  is  in  the  scene  at 
Caesarea  Philippi,  Matt.  16:13-20.  Interpreting  Jesus'  state- 
ment by  its  setting,  we  gather  that  the  Christian  Church 
began,  actually  or  potentially,  with  a  membership  of  one. 
The  setting  is  important.  In  the  quiet  of  their  northern 
tour,  the  Master  put  to  his  disciples  the  question:  "Who 
say  ye  that  I  am?"  Apparently  he  had  never  told  them, 
in  so  many  words,  who  he  was.  He  had  left  them  to  find 
out  for  themselves,  as  they  lived  with  him  and  watched 
his  work  and  felt  his  power  on  their  own  lives.  Had  they 
learned  the  open  secret  of  his  person?  By  their  answer  the 
success  of  his  training  was  to  be  tested;  on  it  depended 
the  future  of  his  cause.  And  from  one  man  of  them,  at 
least,  the  answer  came  back  swift  and  true.  Simon  Peter 
answered  and  said:   "Thou  art  the  Christ  of  God."^ 

^  As  in  Luke  9  :  20 ;  Mark  8  :  29  omits  "  of  God." 

(4) 


THE   CHURCH   IN   THE   TEACHING  OF  JESUS         5 

Just  how  much  was  involved  in  this  confession,  we  can- 
not say  with  certainty.  Should  we,  in  face  of  the  parallel 
passages,  follow  Matthew  in  reading  "the  Christ,  the  Son 
of  the  living  God"?  It  is  not  probable  that  the  thought 
of  Jesus'  divine  sonship  was  yet  present  to  the  disciples' 
minds  in  a  developed  form.  But  if  the  confession  was  sim- 
ply that  of  Jesus'  Messiahship,  we  are  safe  in  saying  that 
it  was  a  higher  conception  of  the  Messiah  than  was  then 
current  among  the  Jews.  Jesus  had  concealed  his  claim 
to  the  Messiahship  just  because  it  would  be  understood  on 
too  low  a  plane.  This  answer  of  Peter  was  perfectly  satis- 
factory to  him.  The  disciple  had  learned  to  give  the 
Master  the  place  He  wished  to  be  given.  Jesus  accepted 
Peter's  answer  as  the  expression  of  a  proper  spiritual  loy- 
alty. We  catch,  in  the  following  verses  of  Matthew's 
narrative,  the  intensity  of  Jesus'  joy  over  this  confession. 
"Blessed  art  thou,  Simon  son  of  John;  for  flesh  and  blood 
hath  not  revealed  it  unto  thee,  but  my  Father  who  is  in 
heaven."  Jesus'  first  reference  to  the  Church  comes  now, 
in  a  play  on  Peter's  name.  "And  I  also  say  unto  thee, 
that  thou  art  Petros,  and  upon  this  petra  I  will  build  my 
Church ;  and  the  gates  of  Hades  shall  not  prevail  against 
it.  I  will  give  unto  thee  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven :  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  bind  on  earth  shall  be 
bound  in  heaven ;  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  loose  on  earth 
shall  be  loosed  in  heaven." 

Just  what  does  this  passage  give  us?  It  gives,  first,  the 
idea  of  a  distinct  rehgious  community.  "Upon  this  rock 
will  I  build  my  Church^  The  word  used  by  Jesus  was 
almost  certainly  the  common  Old  Testament  word  qahaly 
"assembly"  (usually  rendered  ecclesia  in  the  LXX),  which 
signified,  "the  theocratic  convocation  of  Israel,  the  gather- 


6  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE     CHURCH 

ing  of  the  people  in  their  religious  capacity."^  "My  Israel," 
Hort  renders  it,  and  so  the  word  would  be  understood  by 
Jesus'  hearers.  My  Israel,  related  to  the  old  and  yet  dis- 
tinguished from  it.  The  word  cannot  have  been  malkuth, 
"kingdom,"  which  was  Jesus'  favorite  term.  The  reasons 
are  suggestive,  (a)  The  Kingdom,  when  used  specifically 
by  Jesus,  always  has  the  qualifying  phrase  "of  God,"  and 
is  never  called  his  own.  (b)  Ecclesia  and  Kingdom  are 
here  contrasted,  the  former  possessing  the  "keys"  of  the 
latter,  (c)  The  whole  passage  points  to  a  new  creation, 
a  building  or  rebuilding,  whereas  the  Kingdom  has  been 
represented  as  at  hand  and  already  among  men.  (d)  The 
Kingdom  is  invisible,  while  the  Ecclesia,  as  in  the  Old 
Testament,  is  visible,  even  though  Jesus  here  (in  distinc- 
tion from  Matt.  i8: 17)  uses  qahal  in  an  ideal  sense,  as  the 
world-wide  Christian  community  of  the  future.  To  this 
distinction  between  Church  and  Kingdom  we  shall  have 
occasion  to  return.  We  are  at  present  concerned  merely 
with  the  idea  of  a  Christian  community. 

This  passage  gives  us,  second,  the  idea  of  an  authority 
to  be  vested  in  the  Church.  It  is  authorized  to  "bind  and 
loose,"  that  is,  on  Biblical  and  current  Jewish  usage,  to 
"prohibit"  and  "permit,"  to  "admit"  and  "exclude."^  The 
figure  is  that  of  the  major-domo  with  his  keys.  Leaving, 
for  the  moment,  the  exact  significance  of  the  figure,  we 
ask,  to  whom  was  this  authority  given  by  Christ? 

The  promise  was  not  made  to  Peter  in  some  official 
capacity.  There  is  nothing  in  the  history  of  the  following 
years  to  justify  such  an  inference.  Peter  was  a  leader  in 
the  early   Church,   but   not   supreme  leader.    The  official 

^Enc.  Bib.  art.  Assembly;  Cf.  Hort,  Christian  Ecclesia,  3  f£. 
'C/.  Isa.  22  :  19-22 ;  Matt.  23  :  2-4,  13  ;  Rev.  3  : 7. 


THE   CHURCH    IN   THE   TEACHING  OF  JESUS        7 

primacy  of  Peter  is  a  historical  fiction.  His  primacy  was 
a  spiritual  primacy.  He  was  the  first  Christian.  The  prom- 
ise of  binding  and  loosing  was  made  to  Peter  as  the  first 
member  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  of  the  new  religious 
community  founded  by  Him. 

This  is  at  once  clear  when  we  turn  to  the  i8th  chapter 
of  Matthew.  Jesus  has  foretold  His  death  and  resurrection  ; 
the  disciples'  faith  has  been  strengthened  by  the  Transfig- 
uration. Others  have  joined  in  Peter's  confession.  And 
a  second  time  Jesus  promises  this  spiritual  authority,  using 
the  same  words  with  the  change  from  singular  to  plural. 
"Verily  I  say  unto  you,  what  things  soever  ye  shall  bind 
on  earth  shall  be  bound  in  heaven ;  and  what  things  soever 
ye  shall  loose  on  earth  shall  be  loosed  in  heaven."^  The 
power  of  the  keys  is  delegated  to  those  who  make  the 
same  confession  of  spiritual  loyalty  which  Peter  made.  On 
this  living  rock  of  confessing  men  Christ  builds  his  church. 
Further  Hght  is  shed  on  this  promise  by  other  passages. 
In  Matthew  28:18-20  He  appears  to  the  eleven  and  says: 
"All  authority  hath  been  given  unto  me  in  heaven  and  on 
earth.  Go  ye  therefore  (i.e.,  as  my  disciples,  sharing  my 
authority)  and  disciple  all  the  nations,  baptizing  them  into 
the  name  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy 
Spirit;  teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I 
commanded  you ;  and  lo,  I  am  with  you  always,  even  unto 
the  end  of  the  world."  Jesus  has  himself  claimed  authority 
on  earth  to  forgive  sins,^  and  in  John  20:21-23  He  says  to 
those  He  is  leaving  in  His  stead:  "As  the  Father  hath  sent 
me,  even  so  send  I  you."  And  when  He  had  said  this.  He 
breathed  on  them  and  said :  "  Receive  ye  the  Holy  Spirit : 

*Vs.  18. 

"Mark  2  :  10  and  II '8. 


8  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE     CHURCH 

whose  soever  sins  ye  forgive,  they  are  forgiven  unto  them ; 
whose  soever  sins  ye  retain,  they  are  retained."^ 

In  the  teachings  of  Jesus,  no  truth  stands  out  more 
prominently  than  this  promise  of  the  Spirit,  of  His  spiritual 
yet  personal  presence.  In  the  hght  of  it  the  figure  of  bind- 
ing and  loosing  is  to  be  interpreted.  And,  y^^ith  the  promise 
of  the  Spirit  before  our  minds,  Matthew  i8  proves  to  be 
rich  in  suggestion  as  to  Christ's  theory  of  His  Church.  In 
the  verses  which  follow  the  promise  of  spiritual  authority, 
we  gain  light  on  the  way  this  authority  is  to  be  delegated 
and  wielded.  "Again  I  say  unto  you,  that  if  two  of  you 
shall  agree  on  earth  as  touching  anything  that  they  shall 
ask,  it  shall  be  done  for  them  of  my  Father  who  is  in 
heaven.  For  where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in 
my  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them."^  We  see  from 
this  what  is  the  nature  of  the  authority  vested  by  Christ 
in  His  followers.  The  right  to  ask  things  of  God  "in  his 
name  "^  is  more  than  the  power  of  attorney.  It  is  the  iden- 
tification of  the  disciple  with  Christ.  "If  ye  abide  in  me 
and  my  words  abide  in  you,  ask  whatsoever  ye  will,  and  it 
shall  be  done  unto  you."*  When  Christ  leaves  the  earth, 
He  does  not  retire  from  the  business  of  evangelizing  the 
world.  Through  His  Spirit  in  the  lives  of  His  followers.  He 
is  still  personally  conducting  the  business.  Their  authority 
is  simply  His  personal  authority,  working  through  human 
agencies;  their  power  to  convert  the  world  is  His  power; 
their  claim  on  the  Father  is  His  claim ;  their  judgment  is 
His  judgment.  The  one  sin  which  can  never  be  forgiven 
is  the  sin  against  this  inner  light.^ 

*C/.,  also,  Luke  24:49  and  Acts  1:8;  and  John  i/\.-i6  passim. 

'Vs.  19-20.  *John  15:7. 

'John  14:  13,  etc.  *Matt.  12:31  and  ||*s. 


THE   CHURCH   IN  THE  TEACHING  OF  JESUS        9 

Probably  we  are  not  warranted  in  making  any  more 
specific  application  of  the  figure  of  the  major-domo  with 
his  keys.  Nor  is  a  specific  application  necessary.  Where 
Christ  is  so  identified  with  the  disciple,  every  Christian  act 
of  the  disciple  is  as  the  act  of  God.  But  we  pause  to  em- 
phasize the  apparent  reason  for  this  identification,  for  this 
promise  of  the  Spirit.  Through  all  the  words  and  work 
of  Jesus  runs  a  redemptive  purpose.  It  is  for  the  work  of 
world-redemption  that  He  commissions  and  empowers  His 
followers.  The  great  instances  of  the  promise  have  a  mis- 
sionary reference,  as  we  have  seen.  "The  field  is  the 
world,"  He  says,^  and  again,  "Ye  are  the  salt  of  the  earth 
...  ye  are  the  light  of  the  world. "^  "Verily,  verily,  I  say 
unto  you,  he  that  believeth  on  me,  the  works  that  I  do 
shall  he  do  also ;  and  greater  works  than  these  shall  he  do, 
because  I  go  unto  the  Father,"^  to  return  as  a  spiritual 
presence. 

And  in  choosing  human  agents  to  represent  Him  in  the 
world,  to  be  the  bearers  of  His  Spirit,  Christ  chose  a  collec- 
tive rather  than  an  individual  agency.  The  promise  of  the 
keys  is  to  those  gathered  in  His  name,  if  it  be  only  two  or 
three.  Every  "abiding"  man  has  the  guidance  of  Christ's 
Spirit,  but  a  company  of  such  men  has  it  in  a  special  sense. 
The  reasons  for  this  are  apparent  from  the  nature  of  the 
case.  Human  life  is  essentially  social.  Christ  could  do 
more  for  them  as  a  group  than  as  individuals.  It  would 
deepen  their  religious  life  if  they  could  share  with  one 
another  the  truth,  the  love,  the  strength  which  Christ  had 
given  to  each.  They  could  do  more  for  Him  as  a  group 
than  as  individuals.  They  could  live  better  and  work 
better  and  worship   better,  if  they  lived  and  worked  and 

*Matt.  13:38.  '^Matt.  5:13-14.  'John  14:12. 


lO  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE    CHURCH 

worshiped  together.  For  these  reasons  Christ  built  a 
Church,  founded  a  distinct  Christian  community. 

How  far  did  this  building  go  ?  What  did  this  work  of 
founding  involve?  Merely,  it  would  seem,  the  giving  of 
some  fundamental  principles  on  which  his  followers  were 
to  organize  Christian  societies  throughout  the  world.  Loy- 
alty to  the  Spirit  was  one  of  these  principles.  Brotherly 
love  was  another.  We  turn  to  the  verses  which  precede 
in  Matthew  i8,  which  contain  Christ's  second  explicit 
reference  to  the  Ecclesia.  He  is  speaking  of  offences  with- 
in the  Christian  brotherhood.  "If  thy  brother  sin  against 
thee,  go,  show  him  his  fault  between  thee  and  him  alone; 
if  he  hear  thee,  thou  hast  gained  thy  brother.  But  if  he 
hear  thee  not,  take  with  thee  one  or  two  more,  that  at 
the  mouth  of  two  witnesses  or  three  every  word  may  be 
established.  And  if  he  refuse  to  hear  them,  tell  it  unto 
the  church :  and  if  he  refuse  to  hear  the  church  also,  let 
him  be  unto  thee  as  the  Gentile  and  the  publican."^ 
Then  follow  the  words  on  the  collective  spiritual  authority 
of  the  church.  We  note,  in  passing,  an  inference  of  some 
importance.  Such  spiritual  authority  is  vested,  not  in  the 
Church  universal,  but  in  the  local  company  of  Christians, 
the  "two  or  three"  gathered  in  his  name.  "Tell  it  unto 
the  church"  refers,  of  necessity,  to  the  local  congregation. 

The  Synagogue  is  evidently  in  Jesus'  thought.  "The 
offender  is  to  be  treated  as  the  Jewish  Synagogue  acted  to- 
ward a  Gentile  or  a  publican.  He  was  to  be  looked  on  as 
if  he  had  never  belonged  to  the  society,  or  as  if  he  had 
voluntarily  excluded  himself  by  the  course  of  life  he  had 
chosen   to  persist  in."^    Jesus  apparently  looks   forward  to 

^Vs.  15-17. 

^T.  M.  Lindsay,  The  Church  and  the  Ministry  in  the  Early  Cen- 
turies ^  28. 


THE   CHURCH   IN   THE   TEACHING  OF  JESUS      II 

the  organization  of  Christian  societies,  on  the  general 
model  of  the  synagogue,  which  bears  out  our  inference 
as  to  the  visible  community  He  intended.  But  the  analogy 
covers  merely  the  fact  of  organization  in  some  simple  form. 
What  Jesus  is  emphasizing  is  the  law  of  brotherliness  which 
is  to  govern  these  Christian  societies.  The  proud,  persist- 
ent offender  has  broken  the  bond  which  holds  the  society 
together.  The  others  are  not  to  withdraw  their  fellowship 
from  him  until  they  have  done  all  that  brothers  can  to 
make  him  acknowledge  his  fault.  Such  brotherly  love  is 
to  govern  Christ's  men  in  all  their  relations.  "This  is  my 
commandment,  that  ye  love  one  another  as  I  have  loved 
you."^  The  Golden  Rule  is  the  divine  principle  of  human 
association. 

In  searching  the  gospels  for  the  fundamental  principles 
of  the  Christian  Church,  we  cannot  but  be  struck  by  the 
extreme  simplicity  of  Christ's  ideal.  The  Christian  com- 
munity is  a  community  of  brothers,  acknowledged  sons  of 
a  common  Father.  The  word  generally  used  by  Jesus  is 
"Kingdom,"  which,  to  an  Oriental,  meant  a  kingship  rather 
than  a  community,  the  personal  rule  of  the  king  over  his 
subjects.  The  visible  brotherhood  of  Christian  men  and 
women  is  to  represent,  as  far  as  may  be,  the  spiritual  King- 
dom of  God.  They  are  the  "sons  of  the  Kingdom;"  they 
have  "the  keys  of  the  Kingdom."  ^  To  God,  and  to  Christ 
as  representing  God,  every  subject  owes  allegiance.  The 
nature  of  this  allegiance,  and  the  relations  of  the  subjects 
to  each  other,  are  determined  by  the  character  of  the  King, 
as  God  the  Father.  Love  {agape)  to  God  and  man, —  this 
is  the  law  of  the  Kingdom,  and  so,  as  we  saw  in  the  last 

*John  15: 12. 

'Matt.  13  :  38  ;  16 :  18-19  cf,  ante  p.  6. 


12  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE     CHURCH 

paragraph,  of  the  visible  brotherhood,  the  Ecclesia.  Christ 
seems  to  consider  that,  in  stating  this  principle,  He  has 
given  all  that  is  necessary  for  the  guidance  of  His  followers 
in  their  associated  life. 

The  Church,  for  Jesus,"  is  simply  the  community  of 
Christians,  vt^ith  Him  in  the  midst.  However,  from  the 
foregoing  and  other  passages,  we  may  venture  to  go  further 
and  give  this  as  Christ's  definition.  A  church,  on  its 
human  side,  is  a  group  of  Christ's  men,  banded  together  to 
promote  the  work  of  Christ  in  their  own  lives  and  the  lives 
of  those  around  them,  and  living  in  loyalty  to  Him  and 
love  to  one  another.  This  would  involve  four  things  as 
essential  to  a  church,  on  Christ's  view.  Firsty  there  must 
be  a  company  of  Christians,  a  group  of  persons  who  have 
taken  Him  for  their  spiritual  Master.  This  is  apparent  from 
Peter's  confession,  and  from  Christ's  words  as  to  confess- 
ing Him  before  men.^  Second,  there  must  be  organization, 
or  at  least  habitual  association  with  an  implied  agreement 
to  live  together  as  a  Christian  company.  The  form  of  the 
organization  is  not  specified,  nor  how  complex  such 
organization  should  be.  But  the  fact  of  church  discipline  (if 
that  is  not  too  strong  a  term),  through  the  withdrawal  of 
fellowship,  implies  a  close  and  permanent  association.  The 
same  thing  is  implied  by  Christ's  giving  the  rites  of  baptism 
and  the  Lord's  Supper.-  Third,  the  object  of  such  asso- 
ciation must  be,  not  merely  occasional  worship,  but  a  com- 
mon Hfe,  as  including  both  work  and  worship.  The 
Church,  as  we  have  seen,  was  to  be  a  working  body,  a 
missionary  society.  It  is  to  represent  and  promote  the 
Kingdom,  not  only  in  the  lives  of  its  members,  but  in  the 

*Matt.  lo:  32,  etc. 

*See  Note  p.  17  and  Chap.  XI. 


THE   CHURCH   IN  THE   TEACHING  OF  JESUS      I3 

world  outside  its  membership.  It  is,  primarily,  a  corporation 
for  doing  spiritual  business.  Christ  said  :  "  My  meat  is  to 
do  the  will  of  Him  that  sent  me  and  to  accomplish  His 
work."  ^  And  Christ's  followers,  when  banded  together, 
must  have  the  same  double  purpose, —  to  do  the  will  of 
God  and  to  spread  among  others  the  divine  righteousness 
and  love.  Fourth y  the  company  must  really  be  doing  what 
it  is  banded  to  do.  It  must  "have  his  commandments  and 
keep  them."  It  must,  as  a  body,  follow  loyally  the  instruc- 
tions of  Christ,  the  ever-present  Head.  It  must  realize,  in 
its  membership,  the  rule  of  brotherly  love.  This  follows 
from  the  nature  of  the  case ;  for  otherwise  Christ's  prom- 
ises would  be  meaningless.  Christ's  idea  of  the  Church  is 
an  ideal,  whose  perfect  realization  was  difficult,  perhaps 
impossible.  But  here,  as  in  all  His  teaching.  He  "taught 
man  to  attain,  by  shadowing  forth  the  unattainable." 

Wherever  and  just  as  far  as  these  four  simple  condi- 
tions are  fulfilled,  if  it  be  only  among  two  or  three,  there  is 
a  true  church  of  Christ.  To  every  such  company  of  Chris- 
tians Christ  gives  His  presence.  His  guidance,  His  authority, 
not  to  one  man  or  set  of  men,  but  to  the  members  of  the 
Church  individually  and  collectively.  Jesus  expressly  re- 
buked official  presumption.  When  two  of  the  disciples 
asked  places  on  his  right  and  left,  to  the  great  indignation 
of  the  others,  the  Master  called  them  all  together  and 
said:  "Ye  know  that  the  rulers  of  the  Gentiles  lord  it  over 
them,  and  their  great  ones  exercise  authority  over  them. 
Not  so  shall  it  be  among  you :  but  whosoever  would  be- 
come great  among  you,  let  him  (or,  shall)  be  your  servant, 
and  whosoever  would  be  first  among  you,  let  him  be  your 
slave ;  even  as  the  Son  of  Man  came  not  to  be  ministered 
^John  4: 34. 


14  DEMOCRACY     IN     THE     CHURCH 

unto  but  to  minister.  .  .  ."^  In  the  foot-washing  at  the 
Last  Supper,  He  taught  the  same  lesson, —  the  dignity  and 
blessedness  of  service.  "I  am  in  the  midst  of  you  as  he  who 
serves."^  And  again,  "Neither  be  ye  called  Masters;  for 
one  is  your  Master,  even  the  Christ."  ^  Here  is  the  third 
fundamental  principle  of  the  Church  which  Christ  gave, — 
the  principle  of  equality.  Perhaps  we  should  consider  it  as 
a  corollary  of  the  first  two.  The  rule  of  love  involves 
equality.  And  an  earthly  democracy  is  the  necessary  com- 
plement of  the  absolute  spiritual  monarchy  of  Christ. 

Each  Christian  company,  with  Christ  in  the  midst,  must 
be  qualified  to  carry  on  all  the  functions  of  a  church.  It 
is  complete  in  itself.  And  yet  it  must  sustain  an  intimate 
relation  to  those  companies  which  with  it  make  up  the 
visible  Brotherhood.  This  thought  of  the  essential  oneness 
of  the  Christian  Church  is  not  developed  by  Jesus,  but  it 
follows  from  the  fact  of  the  common  Lord  who  is  present 
with  each  group  of  believers.  John  brings  this  out  in  Jesus' 
intercessory  prayer :  "  Neither  for  these  only  do  I  pray,  but 
for  them  also  that  believe  on  me  through  their  word ;  that 
they  may  all  be  one,  even  as  Thou,  Father,  art  in  me,  and 
I  in  Thee.  .  .  .  The  glory  which  Thou  hast  given  me 
I  have  given  unto  them;  that  they  may  be  one,  even  as 
we  are  one;  I  in  them  and  Thou  in  me,  that  they  may 
be  perfected  into  one."* 

iMatt.  2o:2off  and  ||'s.  'Matt.  23:10. 

'Luke  22  :  27  ;  John  13  passim.  *John  17 :  20-23. 


CHAPTER   III 

THE    NATURE    OF   CHRISTS    LORDSHIP   IN 
THE   EARLY  CHURCH 

We  meet  two  objections  to  these  inferences  as  to 
Christ's  theory  of  the  Church.  First,  that  the  passages  in 
Matthew  i6  and  i8,  on  which  we  have  chiefly  based  our 
argument,  are  not  trustworthy.  Jesus  did  not  found  or 
make  provision  for  founding  a  distinct  reHgious  community, 
and  these  isolated  passages  cannot  have  come  from  him  in 
their  present  form.^  Second,  that  our  exegesis  of  these 
and  other  passages  is  incorrect,  and  therefore  our  infer- 
ences are  untrue.  We  proceed  to  test  our  induction  by  a 
brief  study  of  the  Christian  Church  as  actually  existing  in 
the  middle  of  the  first  century.  Did  the  men  who  were 
under  the  immediate  influence  of  Jesus'  ideas  follow  the 
general  principles  of  the  Church's  organization  and  life 
which  we  have  given  ?  If  so,  our  induction  is  proved  to 
be  correct. 

After  the  Ascension,  if  not  indeed  before,  we  find  a 
group  of  Christians  at  Jerusalem,  living  together  as  brothers, 
in  close  and  permanent  association.  Whatever  their  rela- 
tion to  the  Jewish  Ecclesia,  they  have  their  own  meetings 
(in  private  for  edification,  and  in  public  for  purposes  of 
evangelism)   and   their   Christian    ordinances.^    As  Chris- 

^So  Schmiedel,  Enc.  Bib.,  1876,  3104-5. 

^Baptism  and  probably  the  Holy  Supper,  following  the  agape, 
Acts  2  :  42,  46. 

(•5) 


l6  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE     CHURCH 

tianity  spreads,  we  find  similar  groups  of  Christians  in  vari- 
ous cities  of  the  Empire,  often  several  "house-churches" 
in  the  same  city,  as  the  meetings  were  necessarily  held  in 
private  houses  and  one  house  could  not  accommodate  all. 
"At  the  close  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  St.  Paul  sends 
greetings  to  three,  perhaps  five,  groups  of  brethren  gath- 
ered around  clusters  of  distinguished  Christians  whom  he 
names.^  One  of  these  groups  he  calls  a  *  church '  and  the 
others  were  presumably  so  also.  .  .  .  When  it  was  possible, 
that  is,  when  any  member  had  a  sufficiently  large  abode 
and  was  willing  to  open  his  house  to  the  brethren,^  com- 
paratively large  assemblies,  including  all  the  Christians  of 
the  town  or  neighborhood,  met  together  at  stated  times, 
and  especially  on  the  Lord's  Day."^ 

In  the  earliest  literature  accessible,  we  find  the  word 
ecclesia,  with  a  definite  Christian  content,  which  suggests 
the  derivation  of  the  term  from  the  Lord  Himself.*  Be- 
sides its  occasional  use  in  the  ideal  sense  of  the  Christian 
community  throughout  the  world, ^  the  word  is  specifically 
applied  to  the  Christians  in  a  given  community,  associated 
as  one  body.^  We  read  "the  church  which  was  at  Jerusa- 
lem," "the  churches  of  Galatia."^  These  local  churches 
do  not  form  a  compact  and  organized  body.    Each  is  inde- 

iRom.  16:3-5,  i4»  i5i  10.  II-  ^f-  Philemon  2;  Col.  4:15. 

^Gaius  was  "the  host  of  the  whole  church,"  Rom.  16:23.  Acts 
19  :  9-10  probably  an  instance  of  a  rented  hall. 

'Lindsay,  The  Church  and  the  Ministry ^  42. 

*Hort,  Christian  Ecclesia,  9. 

*  Especially  in  Paul's  Roman  epistles.  The  same  is  implied  in 
the  phrase  "the  Church  in  Corinth." 

*No  "Church  of  Rome"  or  "of  Colossi"  is  mentioned  by  Paul, 
probably  because  not  yet  able  to  assemble  as  one  body.  For  Laodicea 
cf.  Col.  4: 16  and  4: 15. 

'Acts  8:1;   Gal.  1:2. 


CHRIST'S    LORDSHIP    IN    THE     CHURCH  1 7 

pendent  and  complete  in  itself.  They  form  a  unity,  but 
this  unity  is  essentially  spiritual.^  They  are  bound  to- 
gether by  moral  rather  than  organic  ties.  One  church  asks 
and  receives  advice  from  another,  as  in  the  relations  be- 
tween Antioch  and  Jerusalem.^  But  it  is  never  more  than 
advice.  Ephesus  commends  ApoUos  to  Achaia.^  Paul's 
churches  send  gifts  of  money  to  Jerusalem.  They  unite  in 
the  support  of  their  general  missionary,  and  look  to  him 
for  counsel.  But  there  is  no  trace  of  any  general  organiza- 
tion of  the  churches.  Even  the  Twelve  Apostles  exercise 
no  special  prerogatives,  outside  of  the  first  chapters  of 
Acts,  which  are  to  be  accepted  with  great  reserve.  The 
idea  of  the  author  of  Acts  (or  his  source)  that  the  Twelve 
were  a  sort  of  official  board,^  is  inconsistent  with  what  we 
know  of  the  term  "apostle"  from  the  rest  of  the  New 
Testament  and  from  our  earliest  extra-canonical  literature. 
It  is  probably  a  case  of  later  idealization,  like  his  view  of 
the  speaking  with  tongues. 

For  the  picture  of  a  Christian  church  of  the  first  cen- 
tury we  turn  to  Paul's  letters  to  the  Corinthians,^  both  as 

^E.  g.,  Paul  in  Eph.  4:4-6. 

^Acts  15  and  Gal.  2. 

'Acts  18:27. 

*  6  : 2  ;  8:1,  14 ;  11 :  i ;  cf.  McGiffert,  Apostolic  Age,  45  ff. 

*  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  prove  that  Paul  may  be  included  among 
"those  under  the  immediate  influence  of  Jesus'  ideas,"  and  therefore 
available  for  evidence  in  this  chapter.  Acts  and  Galatians  indicate  his 
close  association  with  the  leaders  at  Jerusalem  and  his  agreement  with 
them  on  fundamentals.  Whether  or  not  Paul  was  acquainted  with  the 
whole  range  of  Jesus'  teachings,  his  letters  show  how  saturated  he  was 
with  their  spirit.  It  is  of  some  importance  to  note  that  Paul  gives  the 
eucharistic  formula  as  coming  from  Jesus  (and,  as  in  Luke,  intended 
by  Jesus  as  a  permanent  memorial);  and  he  implies  that  he  was  him- 
self baptized,  thus  confirming  the  evidence  of  Acts  as  to  the  existence 
of  this  rite  in  the  Christian  community  from  the  beginning. 

B 


1 8  DEMOCRACY    IN    THE    CHURCH 

the  fullest  picture  and  most  nearly  contemporary.  Two 
meetings  may  be  distinguished,  and  probably  three.  The 
first  is  the  public  meeting,^  full  of  "prophetic"  enthu- 
siasm, whose  closest  modern  analogy  is  the  Free  Methodist 
camp-meeting,  or,  perhaps  better,  the  meetings  of  the 
Welsh  revival.  The  second  is  the  private  meeting  for 
thanksgiving  on  the  Lord's  Day,  a  common  meal  ending 
with  the  Holy  Supper.^  Probably  a  third  meeting  was 
called,  when  necessary,  for  the  transaction  of  business.^ 
This  is  not  certain ;  but  much  business  was  transacted,  for 
which  the  other  meetings  seem  to  allow  no  place.  There 
are  delegates  to  be  appointed,*  and  letters  despatched  in 
the  church's  name.^  Members  are  disciplined  and  restored 
to  fellowship.^  When  necessary,  a  vote  is  taken,  and  the 
vote  of  the  majority  decides  the  case.^  Probably  there 
would  be  further  business,  financial  or  otherwise,  to  come 
before  the  meeting. 

"Such,"  says  Lindsay,  "is  the  picture  of  a  Christian 
church  in  the  Apostolic  age,  as  it  appears  in  the  pages  of 
the  Epistles  of  St.  Paul  to  the  Corinthians,  and,  although 
no  such  clear  outline  is  given  us  of  any  other  Christian 
community,  still  we  are  warranted  in  assuming  that  the 
Church  in  Corinth  did  not  differ  much  from  the  other 
churches  which  came  into  being  through  the  mission  work 

1 1  Cor.  14. 

'i  Cor.  11:17  ff. 

'Lindsay,  op.  cit.,  54  f;  Weizsaecker,  Apostolische  Zeitalter^  3te 
Aufl.,  S.  603  et  ante. 

*2  Cor.  8: 19. 

*i  Cor.  7: 1 ;  2  Cor.  3  : 1,2. 

« I  Cor.  5  : 1-13  ;  2  Cor.  2  :  6-9.  Cf.  Gal.  6  :  i;  2  Thess.  3 :6 ;  all 
in  the  spirit  of  Christ's  great  rule. 

^2  Cor.  2:6. 


Christ's  lordship  in  the   church       19 

of  the  great  Apostle  to  the  Gentiles.  We  see  a  little  self- 
governing  republic — a  tiny  island  in  a  sea  of  surrounding 
paganism  —  with  an  active,  eager,  enthusiastic  life  of  its 
own.  It  has  its  meetings  ior  edification,  open  to  all  who 
care  to  attend,  where  the  conversions  are  made  which  mul- 
tiply the  little  community;  its  quieter  meetings  for  thanks- 
giving, where  none  but  the  believing  brethren  assemble, 
and  where  the  common  meal  enshrines  the  Holy  Supper 
as  the  common  fellowship  among  the  brethren  embodies 
the  personal  but  not  solitary  fellowship  which  each  beHever 
has  with  the  Redeemer;  its  business  meetings  where  it 
rules  its  members  in  the  true  democratic  fashion  of  a  little 
village  republic,  and  attaches  itself  to  other  brotherhoods 
who  share  the  same  faith  and  hope,  trust  in  and  live  for 
the  same  Saviour,  and  have  things  in  common  in  this  world 
as  well  as  beyond  it."  ^ 

As  to  who  administered  baptism  in  the  church  at  Cor- 
inth, or  presided  at  the  Lord's  Supper,  we  are  completely 
in  the  dark.  Ministry  in  the  modern  sense  there  was  none. 
Any  male  member  might  take  part  in  the  worship.  The 
only  check  on  absolute  liberty,  to  keep  it  from  degenerating 
into  license,  was  the  Christian  good  sense  of  the  society.^ 
Such  preaching  as  found  place  was  done  by  men  who  were 
put  forward,  or  put  themselves  forward,  by  reason  of  their 
charismata  or  gifts.  In  the  earliest  extra-canonical  litera- 
ture we  hear  much  of  itinerants,  with  no  pastoral  duties, 
having  no  definite  connection  with  any  one  church,  but 
serving  the  Church  universal.  This  "prophetic  ministry" 
of  the  early  Church,  as  it  has  come  to  be  called,  may  be 
roughly  divided  into  "apostles,"  or  missionaries;  "prophets," 
or  exhorters;  and  "teachers,"  whose  chief  function  was  in- 
^Op.  cit.  57.  2 1  Cor.  14:  26  ff. 


20  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE     CHURCH 

struction.^  The  influence  of  this  prophetic  ministry,  and 
the  honor  in  which  it  was  held,  were  profound.^  They 
were  supported  wholly,  or  in  part,  by  the  gifts  of  the 
brethren.^ 

Distinguished  from  these  ministers  of  the  Word*  are 
the  office-bearers  in  the  local  church ;  or  rather  the  services 
are  to  be  distinguished,  for  the  local  office-bearers  must 
often  have  possessed  prophetic  gifts,  particularly  on  the  side 
of  instruction.^  Each  church  has  its  own  leaders  in  practi- 
cal affairs,  and  this  leadership  depends  first  (as  Christ 
taught)  on  service.  Paul  tells  the  Corinthians,  with  refer- 
ence to  Stephanos,  that  they  should  "also  be  in  subjection 
unto  such,  and  to  every  one  that  helpeth  in  the  work  and 
laboreth."®  And  to  the  Thessalonians  he  says:  "We  be- 
seech you,  brethren,  to  know  them  that  labor  among  you, 
and  are  over  you  in  the  Lord  and  admonish  you."^  Second, 
this  leadership  depends  on  "gifts,"  or  special  endowments 
of  the  Spirit.  Among  these  are  antilepseis  and  kuberneseis, 
translated  in  our  version  "helps"  and  "governments."^  Out 
of  these  apparently  grew  two  types  of  local  administration, 
and  later  permanent  offices,  the  diakonein  and  the  episkopetn. 
Roughly,  the  body  of  deacons,  widows,  etc.,  rendered  sub- 
ordinate service,  while  the  body  of  bishops  or  shepherds 
(and  the  presbuteroiy  whether  identical  or  not)  took  the 
oversight  of  the  congregation.    The  latter,  or  perhaps  the 

*  Paul's  two  lists  are  in  i  Cor.  12:28  and  Eph.  4:11.  See  espec. 
Didache,  XI  ff. 

^E.  g.,  Heb.  13:7,  17,  24,  the  Church's  ijyovfj^rjoi. 

^  I  Cor.  9  :  6-14 ;  Gal.  6  :  6  ;  2  Cor.  11:7-9;  Phil.  4  :  10  ff. 

*Acts  6:1  ff. 

"^i  Thess.  5:12.    (C/.  I  Tim.  5:17). 

•i  Cor.  16:15,  16. 

'i  Cor.  12:28. 


Christ's  lordship   in  the   church       21 

two  bodies  together,  "watched  over  the  Hves  and  behavior 
of  the  members  of  the  community ;  they  looked  after  the 
poor,  the  infirm,  and  the  strangers;  and  in  the  absence  of 
members  of  the  prophetic  ministry  they  presided  over  the 
pubhc  worship,  especially  over  the  Holy  Supper."^  They 
must  also  have  had  certain  administrative  duties.  As  Lind- 
say further  remarks:  "The  quahfications  set  forth  for 
office  are  those  which  every  Christian  ought  to  possess; 
and  the  duties  said  to  belong  to  office  are  those  which  for 
the  most  part  all  Christians  ought  to  perform."  ^ 

We  are  already  trenching  on  dangerous  ground.  The 
scholastic  calm  which  followed  Lightfoot's  identification  of 
episcopoi  and  presbuteroi  (making  the  latter  the  technical 
name  for  the  officer,  while  the  former  describes  the  work 
done)  was  disturbed  by  Dr.  Hatch's  lectures  and  completely 
broken  by  Harnack.  From  the  nature  of  our  argument,  it 
is  quite  unnecessary  for  us  to  enter  into  this  discussion. 
The  view  to  be  taken  depends  chiefly  on  the  date  of  cer- 
tain documents,  such  as  Acts,  James  and  the  Pastoral 
Epistles.  Even  if  we  give  these  documents  the  dates  com- 
monly assigned,  there  is  nothing  in  their  references  to  pres- 
buteroi, etc.,  that  conflicts  with  the  democracy  of  the  Paul- 
ine Church,  in  its  relation  to  the  local  office-bearers.^    It 

1  Lindsay,  155.  'Id.  31. 

'The  supposed  sacerdotal  functions  of  presbyters  may  be  worth  a 
brief  notice.  In  i  Tim.  4:14,  Paul  speaks  of  Timothy's  gift,  given 
him  by  prophecy,  "with  the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the  presbytery." 
This  might  be  called  ordination,  if  we  could  find  any  trace  of  an 
"ordo."  Timothy  seems  to  be  simply  a  missionary,  or  missionary's 
deputy.  In  2  Tim.  1:6,  the  phrase  is  "through  the  laying  on  of  my 
hands."  With  these  should  be  put  Acts  13:3,  the  setting  apart  of  Bar- 
nabas and  Paul  for  missionary  service,  apparently  by  the  prophets 
named;  19:  6,  Paul  giving  the  Spirit  in  this  way  to  those  only  nominal 


22  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE     CHURCH 

is  important  to  remember  what  Lindsay  points  out, —  the 
double  character  of  all  pioneer  missionary  work  like  that  of 
the  early  Apostles.  They  must  train  their  converts  in  the 
art  of  living  together  in  a  Christian  society,  and  do  this  "in 
such  a  way  as  to  foster  social  as  well  as  individual  respon- 
sibility. So  on  the  one  hand  they  can  be  represented  [as 
by  Sohm]  as  shaping  constitutions,  selecting  and  appointing 
office-bearers  and  generally  controlling  in  autocratic  fashion 
the  communities  their  teaching  had  gathered  together ;  and 
on  the  other  hand  this  very  work  can  be  truly  described 
[as  by  Loening]  as  the  almost  independent  effort  of  the 
communities  themselves."  ^  Paul's  letters  to  Timothy  and 
Titus  would  show  us  the  way  the  missionary  had  to  do  his 
work;  the  general  Epistles  show  him  throwing  all  the 
responsibility  on  the  people  themselves,  as  we  shall  see. 

The  democratic  character  of  these  early  church  offices 
comes  out  in  the  salutations  of  Paul's  letters.  For  example, 
"unto  the  church  of  God  which  is  at  Corinth,  even  them 
that  are  sanctified  in  Christ  Jesus,  called  to  be  saints"; 
"to  all  the  saints  in  Christ  Jesus  that  are  at  Philippi,  with 
the  bishops  and  deacons."^  "He  addressed  his  letters  to 
the  whole  community,  who,  in  his  eyes,  are  responsible  for 
the  progress  and  good   behavior  as    for  the  misdeeds  and 

Christians  before  ;  8:17,  similar,  of  Peter  and  John;  and  6:6,  by  the 
Apostles  after  the  deacons  had  been  elected  by  the  church.  The  Im- 
position of  Hands  was  certainly  common  among  the  first  Christians,  as 
among  the  Jews.  That  one  of  its  uses  was  in  the  setting  apart  of  a 
presbyter  by  the  presbytery  is  possible,  even  probable,  though  the  evi- 
dence is  scanty  and  not  specially  reliable  and  usage  may  have  varied. 
Good  order  would  have  required  something  of  the  sort,  after  the  rise  of 
a  regular  presbytery.  But  it  does  not  follow  that  the  presbyter  had, 
or  claimed  to  have,  any  spiritual  right  not  inherent  in  the  ordinary 
Christian. 

iQp.  cit.  86.  '  I  Cor.  1:2;  Phil.  1:1. 


Christ's   lordship   in   the   church       23 

decline  of  the  society  and  of  individual  Christians  within 
it.  His  letters  are  quite  consistent  with  the  existence  of 
ministering  officials  who  owe  their  position  to  the  assembly 
and  are  responsible  in  the  last  resort  to  it ;  but  they  are 
not  consistent  with  the  existence  within  the  community 
of  any  authority  whose  power  comes  directly  from  a  source 
outside  the  brotherhood."^ 

Let  us  look  more  closely  at  Paul's  relation  to  the 
churches  which  he  had  founded  and  which  still  looked  to 
him  for  leadership.  It  is  here  that  the  democracy  of  the 
Church  comes  out  most  clearly.  Paul  claimed  to  be  an 
Apostle,  a  missionary  of  Jesus  Christ  by  a  special  call.  In 
his  work,  when  it  concerns  the  Gospel  or  the  Kingdom, 
he  assumes  an  authority  from  Christ  Himself.  This  tone 
of  authority  sounds  through  his  preaching  and  his  writing.^ 
It  arises  from  his  consciousness  that  Christ's  Spirit  is  with 
him,  inspiring  him  and  blessing  his  work.^  But  this  is 
Christ's  authority,  not  his.  And  the  humblest  Christian, 
in  his  inmost  conscience,  shares  the  same  authority.  In 
the  interesting  passage  at  the  close  of  the  second  letter  to 
the  Corinthians,  where  they  seek  a  proof  that  Christ  is 
speaking  in  him,  his  answer  is:  "Try  your  own  selves, 
whether  ye  are  in  the  faith.  Prove  your  own  selves.  Or 
know  ye  not  as  to  your  own  selves,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  in 
you?  unless  indeed  ye  be  reprobate.'^*  His  authority  over 
these  churches  is  simply  a  moral  authority.  In  doubtful 
cases  he  advises ;  he  cannot  command.  Some  of  his  words 
in  I  Cor.  7  are  suggestive.    "But  this  I  say  by  way  of  con- 

1  Lindsay,  58. 

^E.  g.,  2  Thess.  2:15  ;  3: 14;  Gal.  i:8. 

'1  Cor.  2:3-5. 

*2  Cor.  13  :  5.  Cf.  "in  Christ,"  passim;  given  in  Gal.  3  :  26-28  as 
basis  for  the  fraternal  equality  of  all  believers. 


24  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE     CHURCH 

cession,  not  of  commandment.  Yet  I  would  that  all  men 
were  even  as  I  myself.  Howbeit  each  man  hath  his  own 
gift  from  God,  one  after  this  manner,  and  another  after 
that."^  "Now  concerning  virgins  I  have  no  command- 
ment of  the  Lord :  but  I  give  my  judgment  as  one  that 
hath  obtained  mercy  of  the  Lord  to  be  trustworthy.  .  .  . 
But  she  is  happier  if  she  abide  as  she  is,  after  my  judg- 
ment; and  I  think  that  I  also  have  the  Spirit  of  God."^ 

We  find  a  somewhat  similar  discussion  in  Romans  14. 
"One  man  esteemeth  one  day  above  another;  another 
esteemeth  every  day  alike.  Let  each  man  be  fully  assured 
in  his  own  mind.  He  that  regardeth  the  day,  regardeth  it 
as  unto  the  Lord:  and  he  that  eateth,  eateth  unto  the 
Lord,  for  he  giveth  God  thanks ;  and  he  that  eateth  not, 
unto  the  Lord  he  eateth  not,  and  giveth  God  thanks.  For 
none  of  us  liveth  to  himself,  and  none  dieth  to  himself. 
For  whether  \ye  live,  we  live  unto  the  Lord ;  or  whether 
we  die,  we  die  unto  the  Lord.  Whether  we  live,  therefore, 
or  die,  we  are  the  Lord's.  For  to  this  end  Christ  died  and 
lived  again,  that  he  might  be  Lord  of  both  the  dead  and 
the  living."^  In  Paul's  view,  of  which  we  have  quoted  a 
single  proof,  each  Christian  was  personally  responsible  to 
Christ  for  his  conduct.  No  Apostle  even  would  dare  to 
take  Christ's  place  as  the  master  of  any  man's  soul. 

Next  we  may  turn  to  a  case  that  concerns  Christians 
more  in  their  collective  capacity,  the  matter  of  church  dis- 
cipline. We  probably  have  the  history  of  one  such  case  in 
I  Cor.  5  and  2  Cor.  2.  In  the  first  passage  he  urges  ex- 
communication in  the  following  terms:  "I  verily,  being 
absent  in  the  body  but  present  in  the  spirit,  have  already 
as  though  I  were  present  judged  him  that  hath  so  wrought 
iVs.  6-7.  '^Vs,  25,  40.  'Vs.  5-9. 


CHRIST'S     LORDSHIP     IN    THE     CHURCH  25 

this  thing,  in  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  ye  being  gath- 
ered together,  and  my  spirit,  with  the  power  of  our  Lord 
Jesus,  to  deliver  such  a  one  unto  Satan."  ^  And  in  the 
second  passage  he  thus  comments  on  their  rather  tardy 
action:  "If  any  hath  caused  sorrow,  he  hath  caused  sor- 
row, not  to  me,  but  in  part  (that  I  press  not  too  heavily) 
to  you  all.  Sufficient  to  such  a  one  is  this  punishment 
which  was  inflicted  by  the  many."^  It  is  the  church  which 
excommunicates,  not  Paul.  And  though  he  as  much  as 
commanded  it,  and  speaks  in  the  following  sentences  of 
their  "obedience,"  it  is  rather  "the  obedience  of  Christ,"^ 
in  whose  name  he  wrote.  For  Paul  the  only  Head  of  the 
Church  is  Christ.^ 

The  emphasis  is  always  on  the  personal  responsibility 
of  Christians  to  Christ,  individually  and  hence  collectively. 
Still  following  Paul's  letters,  let  us  look  at  this  from 
another  side.  In  i  Cor.  12  he  is  using  the  figure  of  the 
body  and  its  members  to  describe  the  differing  gifts  of 
Christians.  These  various  endowments  are  gifts  of  the  one 
Spirit,  manifestations  of  the  one  Lord  in  his  fellowship 
with  them.^  "Now  ye  are  the  body  of  Christ,"  he  says  at 
the  close,  "and  severally  members  thereof.  And  God  hath 
set  some  in  the  church,  first  apostles,  secondly  prophets, 
thirdly  teachers,  then  miracles,  then  gifts  of  heaHngs,  helps, 
governments,  divers  kinds  of  tongues.  Are  all  apostles? 
Are  all  prophets  ?  Are  all  teachers  ?  Are  all  workers  of 
miracles  ?  Have  all  gifts  of  healings  ?  Do  all  speak  with 
tongues  ?  Do  all  interpret  ?  But  desire  earnestly  the 
greater  gifts.    And  moreover   a   most   excellent   way  show 

^i  Cor.  5:3-5.  '2  Cor.  2:5-6.  '2  Cor.  10:5, 

*Eph.  5:23  ;  Col.  i:  18,  etc. 
*Rom.  12:4-8.    Cf.  I  Peter  4:10. 


26  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE     CHURCH 

I  unto  you,"^ — the  common  gift  of  brother  love,  which 
may  be  a  fruit  of  the  Spirit  in  each  Christian  heart. 

"Ye  are  the  body  of  Christ."  Paul  is  writing  to  the 
Christians  at  Corinth,  the  little  church  he  himself  has 
gathered.  He  says  "the  body  of  Christ,"  not  "a  body  of 
Christ";  though  the  Corinthians  alone  are  in  his  thought, 
we  should  perhaps  allow  for  a  certain  forensic  foreshorten- 
ing. But  Paul's  words  show  his  idea  of  the  essential 
democracy  of  the  church,  and  the  nature  of  that  democ- 
racy. The  church  at  Corinth  is  not  simply  a  society  made 
by  men.  They  have  banded  together  in  the  name  of 
Christ.  More  than  that,  they  are  the  body  through  which 
Christ's  blood  flows,  the  body  His  Spirit  is  animating  and 
directing.  As  Christians  they  are  members  of  Christ's 
body,  "severally  members  thereof."  Each  Christian  stands 
in  a  direct  relation  to  Christ  and  is  being  led  by  His  Spirit, 
each  in  his  own  part,  his  own  work.  And  so,  when  they 
come  together  as  a  church,  they  are  really  carrying  out 
Christ's  orders  and  representing  Him  in  the  world.  They 
form  a  complete  organism,  "the  body  of  Christ  present  in 
every  Christian  society."^ 

This  may  be  called  an  ideal,  rather  than  a  statement  of 
literal  fact.  Paul  was  an  idealist.  He  looked  on  each  be- 
liever as  a  vice-regent  of  Christ,  an  executor  of  His  will, 
in  humble  ways  or  in  great.  He  assumed  that  each  mem- 
ber of  the  church  was  living  so  close  to  Christ  that  he  was 
a  channel  of  Christ's  Spirit.  This  was  not  true  of  the 
church  at  Corinth,  or  the  church  at  Ephesus,  or  the  church 
at  Jerusalem.  But  Paul  believed,  as  Christ  believed,  that 
the  best  way  to  make  the  ideal  real  was  to  bring  it  into 

1 1  Cor.  12:27-31. 

»C/.  Eph.  4:4-6;  Col.  3:15. 


CHRIST'S     LORDSHIP     IN    THE     CHURCH  27 

practical  church  life  and  try  to  follow  it.  He  said  to  this 
company  of  Christians,  "You  are  the  body  of  Christ." 
Not  "you  ought  to  be,"  but  "you  are." 

We  recall  Christ's  words  as  to  the  promise  of  the  Spirit, 
both  in  John  and  in  the  synoptic  gospels.  The  Church 
is  represented  by  the  New  Testament  writers  as  an  inspired 
community.  The  writers  of  Sacred  Scripture  claim  nothing 
for  themselves  which  the  humblest  believer  may  not,  does 
not  share.  The  Church  is  represented  as  a  sacerdotal  com- 
munity. "Ye  also,  as  living  stones,  are  built  up  a  spiritual 
house,  to  be  a  holy  priesthood  to  oflFer  up  spiritual  sacri- 
fices, acceptable  to  God  through  Jesus  Christ."^  There 
was  no  need  of  a  special  priesthood,  for  each  believer  stood 
in  the  immediate  presence  of  the  God  whom  Christ  re- 
vealed. 

And  we  cannot  deny  that  the  Lord  was  present,  "work- 
ing with  them."  In  no  other  way  can  we  explain  the 
growth  of  the  early  Church  and  its  remarkable  triumphs, 
as  it  steers  its  way  safely  between  the  formalism  of  Jerusa- 
lem and  the  sensuous  excesses  of  Corinth.  The  ideal  it 
held  and  practiced  of  the  personal  responsibility  of  the  in- 
dividual to  Christ  was  justified  by  the  fruit.  It  justified  the 
words  of  the  Master,  "greater  works  than  these  shall  ye 
do,  because  I  go  to  the  Father."  We  find  here  that  to 
which  the  Master  looked  forward, — an  earthly  democracy, 
bodying  forth  in  the  world  the  absolute  spiritual  monarchy 
of  Christ.  In  the  fundamental  principles  of  its  organization 
and  life,  the  primitive  Church  followed  the  teachings  of 
Christ,  as  we  have  gathered  them  from  the  gospels. 
1 1  Peter  2:5.    Cf.  especially  Hebrews. 


CHAPTER   IV 

THE   PASSING  OF   DEMOCRACY 

We  may  glance  briefly  at  the  history  of  the  Christian 
Church  in  the  succeeding  ages.  From  the  beginning  of  the 
second  century,  Democracy  gradually  passes  through  Aris- 
tocracy to  Monarchy.  A  study  of  this  change,  its  causes 
and  effects,  is  instructive  for  a  student  of  church  polity. 

The  changes  in  the  constitution  of  the  Church  center 
about  the  local  office-bearers.  The  period  covered  by  the 
second  century  is  largely  obscure,  but  some  relics  of  Chris- 
tian literature  suggest  the  stages  through  w^hich  church 
office  may  have  passed,  at  varying  rates  of  speed.  In  the 
Didache  we  find  the  church  board,  of  w^hich  w^e  savsr  the 
germ  in  the  New  Testament  churches,  but  now  it  begins 
to  take  over  the  functions  of  the  prophetic  ministry.  "Ap- 
point for  yourselves  bishops  and  deacons  worthy  of  the 
Lord,  men  meek  and  not  avaricious,  and  upright  and 
proved;  for  they,  too,  render  you  the  service  of  the  prophets 
and  teachers."^  In  the  document  which  Harnack  calls  the 
Original  Sources  of  the  Apostolic  Canons,  we  find  a  pastor  or 
bishop,  elected  to  preside  over  the  puMic  worship  of  the 
church  and  to  administer  its  property,  under  the  direction 
of  the  college  of  presbyters,  who  are  the  real  rulers  in  the 
congregation.  The  Church  is  beginning  to  have  a  settled 
ministry. 

iChap.  XV. 
(28) 


THE    PASSING    OF    DEMOCRACY  29 

The  Letters  of  Ignatius,  though  earlier  in  date,  show  a 
third  stage,  the  bishop  as  president  of  the  college  of  pres- 
byters and  ruler  in  the  congregation.  It  is  an  ideal,  perhaps, 
in  his  letters,  rather  than  a  statement  of  generally  accepted 
polity.  In  the  dangers,  the  heresies,  the  disturbances  of 
the  Christian  society,  he  sees  the  need  for  some  center  of 
unity,  some  recognized  authority  and  guarantee  of  order  in 
each  local  congregation,  and  so  in  the  Church  universal. 
"Do  nothing  without  the  bishop,"  he  cries;  "keep  your 
flesh  as  a  temple  of  God ;  cherish  union ;  shun  divisions ; 
be  imitators  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  He  Himself  also  was  of  His 
Father."^  The  change  in  the  Church's  constitution  for 
which  he  gives  his  dying  breath  may  seem  a  legitimate  and 
necessary  development  of  the  church  organization  which 
Christ  had  given  only  in  outline.  "The  Ignatian  bishop  is 
in  every  essential  respect  the  minister  of  the  local  con- 
gregation, and  the  presbyters  are  his  assistant  ministers  or 
curates.  ...  In  the  interest  of  unity,  the  time,  it  seemed 
to  him,  had  come  when  the  supremacy  in  the  congregation 
should  be  vested  in  one  individual  man."^  If  he  urges  sub- 
mission, almost  a  blind  submission,  to  bishops  and  other 
church  officers,  it  is  because  he  assumes  them  to  be  so  filled 
with  the  Spirit  that  when  they  speak  Christ  speaks. 

The  change  to  a  three-fold  ministry,  which  Ignatius 
advocated,  and  in  a  sense  reflected,  came  gradually  and  pro- 
voked no  opposition.  By  the  end  of  the  century,  practically 
every  church  had  its  bishop,  presbyters  and  deacons.  The 
rise  of  a  permanent  president  of  the  church  session  —  the 
pastor  or  bishop — had  brought  no  essential  change  in  the 
character  of  the  Church.    It  was  still  extremely  democratic. 

1  To  the  Philadelphians,  7. 

'A.  V.  G.  Allen,  Christian  Institutions y  70. 


30  DEMOCRACY     IN     THE     CHURCH 

The  bishop  served  without  salary;  no  traces  of  financial 
support  for  the  ministry  appear  until  a  considerably  later 
period.  He  worked  at  his  trade  through  the  week  Hke  the 
ordinary  members,  and  his  social  position  was  in  no  way 
diflferent  from  theirs.  In  the  government  of  the  church  his 
power  was  merely  that  of  moral  suasion.^  Final  authority 
resided  in  the  congregational  meeting.  In  his  relation  to 
the  presbyters,  the  bishop  was  simply  primus  inter  pares. 
This  theory  persisted  long  after  the  practice  was  changed. 
Thus  Jerome  said  at  the  beginning  of  the  fifth  century : 
"With  the  ancients,  presbyters  were  the  same  as  bishops, 
but  gradually  all  the  responsibility  was  deferred  to  a  single 
person,  that  the  thickets  of  heresy  might  be  rooted  out.  As 
the  presbyters  therefore  know  it  is  by  the  custom  of  the 
Church  they  are  inferior  to  him  who  has  been  set  over  them, 
so  let  the  bishops  recognize  the  fact  that  they  rank  above 
presbyters  more  by  custom  than  by  any  express  arrangement 
of  the  Lord."2 

But  the  change  did  not  stop  where  perhaps  Ignatius 
would  have  wished.  Under  the  pressure  of  heresy,  there 
arose  a  new  idea  of  the  bishop's  office,  simple  in  itself  but 
leading  on  to  other  ideas  that  were  radical.  He  became, 
above  all  else,  the  voucher  for  Tradition,  for  the  true  faith 
handed  down  from  the  days  of  the  Twelve  Apostles,  by 
writing  or  word  of  mouth.  This  function,  instead  of  re- 
maining with  the  presbyters  as  a  whole,  was  given  more  and 
more  into  the  hands  of  the  pastor.  And  Christian  imagi- 
nation projected  this  satisfactory  arrangement  backward  in 
a  necessary  succession.  The  bishop  of  the  local  church, 
instead  of  being,  as  for  Ignatius,  the  direct  representative  of 

1  Ignatius,  To  Polycarp,  2,  3,  5. 
'  Commentary  on  Titus  1:5. 


THE    PASSING    OF    DEMOCRACY  3I 

Christ,  came  to  be  the  historic  representative  of  the  Apostles. 
Thus  Irenaeus,  writing  at  the  end  of  the  century,  says:  "It 
is  within  the  power,  therefore,  of  all  in  every  church  who 
may  wish  to  see  the  truth,  to  contemplate  clearly  the  tra- 
dition of  the  Apostles,  manifested  throughout  the  whole 
world ;  and  we  are  in  a  position  to  reckon  up  those  who 
were  by  the  Apostles  instituted  bishops  in  the  churches, 
and  the  successions  of  these  men  to  our  own  times."  ^  In 
other  passages  Irenaeus'  emphasis  is  on  the  presbyterate  in 
general.  But  by  the  time  of  Tertullian  it  is  the  bishop 
alone  who  is  mentioned  as  the  Apostles'  successor  and 
voucher  for  Tradition. 

The  term  "Apostle"  has  now  become  restricted  to  the 
Twelve,  which  means  the  passing  away  of  the  first  rank 
of  the  prophetic  ministry  ("first  apostles,  secondly  prophets, 
thirdly  teachers").  But  the  passing  of  the  "prophets," 
through  the  rise  of  a  regular  ministry  and  an  orderly  wor- 
ship, roused  very  serious  opposition.  Doubtless  prophecy 
had  been  deteriorating  in  many  quarters.  Then,  too,  the 
temper  of  the  Church  was  changing, — its  ideas  of  worship, 
its  attitude  toward  the  world.  But  it  was  the  new  idea  of 
the  local  office-bearers,  as  vouchers  for,  and,  in  increasing 
measure,  instructors  in  the  true  faith,  which  put  the  pro- 
phetic order  in  an  inferior  place.  "Every  prophet  who 
speaketh  in  the  Spirit,"  the  Didache  had  said,  "ye  shall  not 
try  nor  judge."  ^  This  is  the  unpardonable  sin.  With 
Irenaeus,  the  test  of  a  true  prophet  is  "to  obey  the  elders 
who  are  in  the  church."^  This  change  amounted  to  a 
revolution,  and  the  great  movement  known  as  Montanism 

"^Against  Heresies^  III,  c.  3:1. 

'Chap.  XI. 

*  Against  Heresies ^  IV,  c.  26:2;  cf.  Ill,  c.  11:9. 


32  DEMOCRACY    IN    THE     CHURCH 

(A.  D.  156  onward)  was  in  essence  a  conservative  revolt, 
an  attempt  to  bring  the  churches  back  to  the  untrammeled 
enthusiasm  of  their  earlier  worship.  In  their  emphasis  on 
the  power  of  the  Spirit  and  in  their  rigid  discipline,  the 
Montanists  might  be  called  the  Methodists  of  the  second 
century.  Though  Montanism  drew  strong  men  like  Ter- 
tuUian  into  its  ranks,  the  exaggerations  and  fanaticism  of 
the  movement  led  to  its  downfall,  or,  we  might  say,  its 
suppression.  And  with  it  passed  the  "hberty  of  prophesy- 
ing" in  the  Christian  Church. 

The  first  known  ecclesiastical  councils  since  the  earliest 
days  appear  in  Asia  Minor  about  160  A.  D.,  in  connection 
with  the  Montanist  movement.  They  seem  to  have  been 
informal  meetings  of  church  officers  and  members  to  ad- 
vise in  local  difficulties  and  settle  questions  of  common  con- 
cern. Stated  synods  soon  came  to  be  a  regular  institution 
in  the  Church.  The  Original  Sources  of  the  Apostolic  Canons 
directs  the  weak  church  to  call  for  representatives  of  the 
stronger  churches  in  the  neighborhood  to  assist  in  the 
choice  of  a  bishop.^  In  the  third  century  this  had  become 
the  custom  for  all  the  churches,  the  neighboring  pastors 
assisting  in  election  and  ordination.  But  of  the  synod  or 
council  (for  whatever  purpose  called),  the  local  congrega- 
tion concerned  formed  a  part,  and  with  it  the  final  decision 
rested.  As  Lindsay  says:  "If  left  to  itself  the  democratic 
genius  of  Christianity  might  have  evolved  an  organization 
which,  starting  from  the  unit  of  the  congregational  meet- 
ing, and  rising  through  a  series  of  synods  with  widening 
areas  of  jurisdiction,  might  have  culminated  in  a  really  re- 
presentative oecumenical  council  or  synod  which  would  have 
given  a  visible  unity  of  organization  to  the  whole  Christian 
*  Cf,  references  in  Lindsay,  328,  178. 


THE    PASSING    OF    DEMOCRACY  33 

Church,  and  at  the  same  time  would  have  preserved  its 
primitive  democratic  organization."^ 

The  actual  development  w^as  to  take  an  altogether  dif- 
ferent line.  With  the  changes  in  the  Church  and  its  min- 
istry during  the  third  century  the  name  of  Cyprian^  is 
inseparably  connected.  Through  the  bent  of  his  mind  and 
his  natural  abilities,  this  great  North  African  statesman 
seems  to  have  been  the  chief  factor  in  the  result.  But  his 
wrork  was  in  line  with  certain  tendencies  of  the  age ;  the 
failure  of  the  Montanist  revolt  had  served  to  exalt  still 
further  the  position  of  the  local  office-bearers,  and  strong 
men  in  the  bishop's  office  grasped,  consciously  or  uncon- 
sciously, at  further  power. 

In  the  time  of  Cyprian  the  bishop  is  still  the  local  pas- 
tor, though  his  parish  is  now  coming,  in  many  cases,  to 
include  a  number  of  congregations  in  his  city  or  the  out- 
lying country.  The  congregational  meeting  still  persists, 
and  the  bishop  can  do  nothing  without  carrying  the  peo- 
ple, and  especially  the  presbyters,  with  him.  He  is  elected 
by  the  people,  and  the  local  church  is  virtually  indepen- 
dent and  self-governing.  But  a  sharp  distinction  is  beginning 
between  clergy  and  laity.  And  the  bishop  is  coming  to  be 
regarded,  not  so  much  as  the  historical  successor  of  the 
Apostles  and  so  able  to  vouch  for  tradition,  but  as  their 
official  successor,  possessing  all  their  gifts,  rights  and 
powers  as  Christ's  vice-regent.  This  legal  fiction  of  Apos- 
tolic Succession  Cyprian  supported  by  practice  and  speech 
and  pen,  with  all  a  Roman  lawyer's  passion  for  authority 
and  precedent.  It  involved  an  extraordinary  change  in  the 
position  of  the  bishop.  On  this  theory,  he  alone  had  power 
to  ordain,  to  restore  the  lapsed,  to  administer  the  Euchar- 
1  Id.  334.  '^Bishop  of  Carthage  from  248  A.D. 


34  DEMOCRACY    IN    THE    CHURCH 

ist  in  person  or  by  deputy.  "Once  appointed,  the  bishop 
possessed  the  *  subHme  power  of  governing  the  Church/ 
and  was  responsible  to  God  alone  for  his  deeds.  He  was 
the  autocrat  within  his  own  Church,  and  every  act  and 
office  culminated  in  his  person,  just  as  the  emperor 
absorbed  in  one  man  all  the  legal  powers  which  under  the 
earlier  republican  government  had  been  distributed  among 
several  officials."^  The  magnitude  of  this  change  in  the 
idea  of  the  Ministry  may  be  seen  by  comparing  the  words 
of  Tertullian  half  a  century  earlier :  "  Considered  in  itself, 
the  laity  also  have  a  right  to  administer  the  sacraments  and 
to  teach  in  the  church.  The  word  of  God  and  the  sacra- 
ments were,  by  God's  grace,  communicated  to  all,  and 
may  therefore  be  communicated  by  all  Christians  as  in- 
struments of  God's  grace.  But  the  question  here  is  not 
merely  what  is  lawful  in  general,  but  also  what  is  expedi- 
ent under  existing  circumstances.  .  .  .  From  regard, 
therefore,  to  the  necessary  order  of  the  church,  the  laity 
ought  to  exercise  their  priestly  rights  in  administering  the 
sacraments  only  when  time  and  circumstances  require  it."^ 
Cyprian  would  have  looked  with  horror  on  such  a  pos- 
sibility. For  his  idea  involved  the  further  thought  that  the 
bishop  was  a  special  priest  who  had  a  special  sacrifice  to 
offer.  The  analogy  of  the  Old  Testament  priesthood  as 
the  "shadow  of  things  to  come"  had  been  working  in 
Christian  thought.  Cyprian  seems  to  be  the  first  to  apply 
this  analogy  specifically.  He  repeatedly  quotes  the  text: 
"The  man  that  doeth  presumptuously,  in  not  hearkening 
unto  the  priest  that  standeth  to  minister  there  before 
Jehovah  thy  God,  or  unto  the  judge,  even  that  man  shall 

*  Lindsay,  303. 
^  Of  Baptism,  17. 


THE    PASSING    OF    DEMOCRACY  35 

die ;  and  thou  shalt  put  away  the  evil  from  Israel."^  For 
him,  as  for  succeeding  ages,  the  Holy  Supper,  in  its  bread 
and  wine,  is  a  divine  sacrifice ;  and  the  church  officer  who 
alone  can  preside  over  the  rite  is  a  priest,  like  the  priests 
of  the  heathen  cults  or  the  Old  Dispensation.  Thus  the 
ministry  in  the  Christian  Church  becomes  a  mediating 
priesthood.  The  "priesthood  of  believers"  has  passed,  like 
the  Hberty  of  prophesying. 

Summing  up  these  changes  for  which  Cyprian  stood 
sponsor,  we  may  say  that  they  involved  the  externalizing 
of  the  whole  idea  of  the  Church,  in  the  supposed  interest 
of  unity  and  orthodoxy.  "Whoever  he  may  be,  and  wher- 
ever he  may  be,  he  who  is  not  in  the  Church  of  Christ 
is  not  a  Christian. "^  And  the  Church  is  "defined  by  its 
ministry."  It  means  for  Cyprian,  first,  the  local  congrega- 
tion for  which  the  bishop,  as  the  Apostles'  successor  in  the 
vice-regency,  offers  sacrifice  and  obtains  pardon.  Where 
the  bishop  is,  there  is  the  church.  Where  the  bishops  are, 
there  is  the  Church,  in  the  larger  sense,  now  coming  to 
be  known  as  the  "  Great  Church  "  or  the  "  Church  Catho- 
hc,"  in  distinction  from  the  minor  heretical  sects.  Out  of 
this  Church,  with  its  true  Apostolic  succession,  there  is  no 
chance  of  salvation.  Cyprian's  theory,  though  it  gave  the 
power  of  episcopal  appointment  and  ordination  into  the 
hands  of  the  bishops  of  the  province,  involved  the  indepen- 
dence of  each  bishop  so  appointed,  even  if  he  were  only  the 
pastor  of  a  small  country  church.  The  Unity  of  the 
Church  was  the  unity  of  a  corporation,  or  rather  as  yet 
a  federation,  to  which  each  bishop  belonged  by  virtue  of 
his  office.    The  synod  came  to  be  practically  a  "house  of 

^Deut.  17:  12;  Epist.  Ill:  I,  etc. 
'Cyprian,  Epist. y  LI:  24. 


36  DEMOCRACY    IN    THE     CHURCH 

bishops."  The  congregational  meeting,  if  it  persisted,  was 
only  a  fifth  wheel  to  the  coach.  It  should  be  added  that 
the  theory  of  the  equality  of  bishops,  in  this  form,  was 
peculiar  to  Cyprian  and  hardly  survived  his  death. 

The  further  development  of  what  may  be  called  the 
CathoHc  System  need  not  detain  us.  Natural  historical 
causes  led  to  the  gradual  change  from  a  parochial  to  a 
diocesan  episcopate,  to  the  inequality  of  bishops,  the  rise 
of  metropolitans  and  the  supremacy  of  the  Roman  see. 
But  we  may  close  this  hasty  and  necessarily  imperfect  out- 
line with  some  remarks  on  the  effects  of  this  radical  change 
in  the  Church's  constitution. 

Christ  left  the  Church  to  work  out  the  details  of  its 
polity  under  the  enlightenment  of  His  Spirit.  Was  the  ac- 
tual development  due  to  that  enlightenment?  Or  was  it 
due  to  motives  of  expediency,  acting  (consciously  or  un- 
consciously) under  the  pressure  of  circumstances,  and  to 
the  introduction  of  ideas  foreign  to  the  spirit  of  Christian- 
ity? This  is  a  question  which  it  is,  of  course,  extremely 
difficult  to  answer.  The  actual  result  always  appears  the 
inevitable,  in  the  struggle  of  opposing  forces.  It  is  easy  to 
say,  and  difficult  to  prove,  that  any  given  course  of  historical 
development  might  have  been  different.  The  further  ques- 
tion arises.  Was  it  possible  for  the  Church  to  preserve  the 
democracy  formulated  by  Christ? 

We  face  the  tremendous  practical  difficulty  of  applying 
democracy  in  an  unenlightened  age,  with  such  human 
material  as  the  early  Church  had  at  its  disposal.  But  the 
leaders  in  the  first  age  of  Christianity  did  not  find  this  dif- 
ficulty insuperable.  Paul  put  responsibility,  as  the  Master 
had  done  before  him,  on  the  Christian  individual,  the 
Christian  company.   And  it  seemed  to  work  well,  on   the 


THE    PASSING    OF     DEMOCRACY  37 

whole.  Nothing  develops  responsibility  like  responsibility. 
If  the  Christian  community  at  Corinth,  as  Paul  describes 
it,  drawn  largely  from  the  lowest  classes  of  Roman  society 
and  with  the  taint  of  heathenism  still  upon  it,  was  able  to 
practice  democracy  under  the  guidance  of  Christ,  the  same 
community  should  have  been  much  better  fitted  to  practice 
it  two  centuries  later,  with  the  increasing  stability  of  Chris- 
tian character  from  one  generation  to  another,  and  the 
increasing  enlistment  of  wealth  and  culture  in  the  service 
of  the  despised  Nazarene. 

Democracy  would  seem  to  have  been  as  practicable  in 
the  third  or  fourth  century  as  in  the  first.  Could  it  con- 
ceivably have  done  the  work  demanded  of  the  Church  of 
Christ  in  the  later  age  ?  It  has  often  been  said  that  we  owe 
the  preservation  of  Christianity  to  the  CathoHc  Church. 
The  "CathoHc  System"  was  necessary  for  the  propagation 
of  the  Gospel,  especially  among  the  barbarian  tribes.  And 
through  the  powerful  unity  which  it  developed  it  kept  the 
Church  from  falling  a  prey  to  Mohammedanism  and  other 
enemies.  Let  us  look  at  these  points  briefly,  considering 
the  Catholic  System  as  such,  that  is,  separating  it  as  far  as 
possible  from  its  entangling  aUiance  with  the  state,  and  from 
the  legahsm  and  superstition  for  which  it  may  or  may  not 
have  been  responsible. 

First,  as  to  the  Propagation  of  Christianity,  In  the  first 
two  centuries,  when  the  Democratic  System  was  still  in 
force,  the  gospel  was  spread  by  individuals.  Sometimes  it 
was  the  missionary  work  of  an  apostle,  a  traveling  evangel- 
ist, who  gave  his  Hfe  to  preaching  and  the  organization  of 
churches.  Sometimes  it  was  the  work  of  itinerant  "proph- 
ets" and  "teachers."  But  the  greatest  work  was  done  by 
those   who    were    not    professional    missionaries.     Exiles, 


38  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE     CHURCH 

soldiers,  business  men,  all  carried  the  Gospel  with  them. 
And  humble  Christians  spread  the  faith  among  their  neigh- 
bors, through  their  lives,  their  deeds  and  their  words.^  Not 
every  Christian  was  a  professional  apostle,  but  almost  every 
Christian  was  a  missionary.  Missionary  responsibility  rested 
upon  every  member  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  and  mission- 
ary zeal  was  general.  Christianity  never  spread  faster  than 
in  these  first  centuries.  And  the  work  was  done  in  the 
face  of  the  greatest  obstacles.  No  better  engine  for  con- 
quering the  world  could  have  been  devised  than  an  army  in 
which  every  Christian  was  enlisted  as  a  soldier.    > 

This  general  missionary  impulse  seems  to  have  lasted 
through  the  era  of  persecution.  It  overlaps  the  change  in 
polity.  Its  decay  in  the  succeeding  centuries  is  due  largely 
to  other  causes.  But  the  Catholic  System  tended  to  remove 
missionary  responsibility  from  Christians  in  general  and  put 
it  on  the  hierarchy.  The  machinery  was  more  complex,  but 
we  doubt  if  the  engine  had  the  same  power.  There  seems 
to  have  been  no  more  missionary  statesmanship  in  the  later 
centuries  than  there  was  in  the  first  two.  The  hierarchy 
by  itself  proved  so  insufficient  for  the  propagation  of  the 
Gospel  that  it  had  to  be  supplemented  by  orders  of  monks, 
working  more  or  less  independently.  The  work  of  foreign 
missions  continued  to  be  done  by  individuals  who  were  on 
fire  with  missionary  zeal.  Ulfilas,  Patrick  and  Bqniface 
may  be  put  in  the  same  class  with  Paul ;  such  men  are  prod- 
ucts of  Christianity  rather  than  of  any  particular  ecclesias- 
tical system. 

The  Cathohc  System  could  bring  to  bear  on  its  work, 
in  Gaul  for    instance,  at    the  barbarian    conquest,  all    the 

iHarnack,  Mission  u.  Ausbreitung  d.  Christ,  in  ersten  drei 
Jahrh.f  S.23off. 


THE    PASSING    OF    DEMOCRACY  39 

power  of  the  ecclesiastical  machine.  But  there  was  little 
danger  that  Christianity  in  Gaul,  under  a  democratic  sys- 
tem where  each  Christian  was  supposed  to  feel  a  mission- 
ary responsibility,  would  have  been  swallowed  up  by  pagan- 
ism. The  analogies  of  History  go  to  show  that  where  a 
conquered  civilization  is  strong  enough  to  impose  on  the 
conquerors  its  language  and  arts,  it  will  impose  on  them  its 
religion  also.^  Force  can  never  make  more  than  nominal 
Christians.  For  propagating  a  nominal  Christianity  among 
the  Germans  and  Anglo-Saxons,  the  Democratic  System 
might  have  been  less  fit  than  the  CathoHc.  Something 
more  than  a  nominal  Christianity  is  necessary  for  a  demo- 
cratic polity  to  exist  at  all.  But  the  achievements  of  the 
first  two  centuries  indicate  that  such  a  polity  could  have 
established  a  spiritual  Christianity  in  the  more  settled  por- 
tions of  Europe,  and  gradually  leavened  the  adjacent  tribes. 
We  glance  next  at  the  Unity  of  Christendom,  The 
unity  achieved  by  the  Catholic  System  was  far  from  com- 
plete. At  the  close  of  the  Middle  Ages,  instead  of  one 
Church,  we  find  the  Latin,  the  Greek,  the  Coptic,  the 
Jacobite,  the  Armenian,  the  Nestorian, — to  mention  only 
the  largest, — and  many  of  these  were  subdivided.  Besides 
these  permanent  divisions,  the  Church  was  vexed  with 
schisms  almost  innumerable.  And  for  almost  every  one  of 
these  schisms  and  divisions  the  Catholic  System  was  di- 
rectly responsible.  The  unity  sought  was,  in  the  nature 
of  the  case,  an  external  unity.  A  connection  with  the  One 
CathoHc  Church,  derived  from  the  Apostles  through  a 
succession  of  bishops,  was  essential  to  salvation.  We  might 
liken  it  to  a  great  religious  Trust.  And  Hke  monopoHes  in 
other  Hnes,  it  used  its  power  to  crush  competitors.  When- 
1  C/.  Ripley,  Races  of  Europe ^  27. 


40  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE     CHURCH 

ever  an  opposition  arose  to  its  exclusive  authority,  or  a 
divergence  of  doctrine,  the  powerful  engines  of  the  System 
— bishops,  legislative  councils,  popes — were  brought  to 
bear  to  compel  uniformity.  The  case  of  the  Nestorians 
will  furnish  a  typical  instance.  In  the  controversies  as  to 
the  divine  and  human  nature,  Nestorius,  patriarch  of  Con- 
stantinople, and  Cyril,  patriarch  of  Alexandria,  take  oppo- 
site ground.  Anathema  is  answered  by  anathema.  In  the 
General  Council  at  Ephesus,  each  faction  organized  and 
condemned  the  other.  The  deputies  from  the  Roman 
bishop  turn  the  tide  in  favor  of  Cyril.  The  final  result  of 
the  affair  is  the  banishment  of  Nestorius  and  other  leaders 
of  his  party,  who  organize  an  independent  sect  in  the 
farther  East. 

The  result  of  such  methods,  which  a  powerful  mo- 
nopoly is  always  liable  to  follow,  was  one  of  two  things.  If, 
as  in  this  case,  the  opposition  was  sufficiently  strong,  and 
its  geographical  position  made  such  a  step  possible,  it  pro- 
ceeded to  form  a  new  Church  of  its  own,  on  the  general 
model  of  the  old.  If  these  favorable  circumstances  were 
lacking,  the  sect  was  crushed  out,  after  a  few  centuries. 
Thus  the  Montanists,  the  Donatists,  the  Pelagians  never 
achieved  an  independent  life.  But  their  life  as  sects  was 
often  prolonged  for  several  centuries  by  the  very  methods 
taken  to  extirpate  them.  The  history  of  the  Catholic  Sys- 
tem is  strewn  with  the  wrecks  of  unsuccessful  rebellions, 
and  stained  with  the  blood  of  their  martyrs.  The  organic 
and  doctrinal  unity  of  the  Western  Church  was  real,  and 
in  some  sense  valuable.  But  it  had  been  achieved  by  force 
and  required  constant  exercise  of  force  to  keep  it  in  being. 

We  place  beside  this  the  unity  of  the  Church  in  the 
first  two  centuries.    There  was  no  organic  unity.    Only  in 


THE    PASSING    OF    DEMOCRACY  4I 

the  ideal  sense  was  there  one  Christian  Church.  But  the 
unity  of  spirit  was  remarkably  strong.  It  bound  the  Chris- 
tian churches  into  a  whole,  that  was  powerful  in  fact  and 
powerful  in  its  effect  on  the  imagination  of  both  Christian 
and  pagan.  The  Christians  served  one  Lord.  They  be- 
longed to  a  common  brotherhood.  When  a  Christian 
went  to  a  strange  city,  he  would  carry  with  him  letters  of 
commendation.  And  he  at  once  found  friends  and  hospi- 
tality. Between  the  churches  communication  was  constant, 
and  mutual  help  was  common.  Councils  of  churches  were 
held,  for  a  smaller  or  larger  area,  in  cases  of  emergency  or 
controversy.  Ecumenical  councils,  for  deliberation  rather 
than  for  legislation  in  the  strict  sense,  were  among  the 
possibilities  of  the  future.  The  enlightened  consciousness 
of  the  churches  had  brought  a  New  Testament  into  being, 
and  gone  far  toward  settling  the  limits  of  its  canon.  Sub- 
stantial agreement  on  the  fundamental  points  of  doctrine 
found  expression  in  the  "rule  of  faith."  In  short,  the 
Democratic  System  had  achieved  for  the  whole  Church 
a  unity  that  was  as  powerful  as  that  of  the  later  Catholic 
System  for  a  part  of  the  Church,  and  as  valuable  for  pur- 
poses of  historical  development. 

In  these  centuries  various  sects  arose,  principally  Judaiz- 
ing  or  syncretizing  sects.  Gnosticism  was  rife.  The  Mar- 
cionites  established  separate  churches,  and  later  the  Mon- 
tanists.  But  the  power  of  the  Truth  and  the  personal 
influence  of  trusted  leaders  checked  these  as  effectually  as 
the  later  ecclesiastical  machinery.  In  the  course  of  cen- 
turies, the  Christian  Church  might  have  split  up  into  a 
greater  number  of  sects  on  the  Democratic  System  than 
on  the  Cathohc,  and  these  sects  would  probably  have  been 
coterminous,   the  lines  of    division    running   through    the 


42  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE     CHURCH 

same  locality.  But  on  the  other  hand  there  would  have 
been  a  less  sharp  line  of  division  between  Latin,  Greek, 
Syrian  and  Egyptian,  a  division  for  which  the  Catholic 
System  was  responsible  and  which  made  vast  areas  too 
weak  to  resist  the  Mohammedan  conquest.  And  the 
wounds  of  sectarian  controversy  in  a  given  country  would 
have  been  less  deep  and  quicker  to  heal.  Among  the  sects 
there  would  have  been  the  underlying  unity  of  the  invisible 
Church  and  the  common  brotherhood,  which  tended  to 
erase  the  lines  of  division.  In  other  words,  the  Democratic 
System  contained  a  centripetal  force,  as  well  as  a  centrifu- 
gal. Such  rapprochement  was  practically  impossible  on  the 
Catholic  System,  where  efforts  at  restoring  unity  merely 
served  to  increase  the  irritation.  Amputation  was  the  only 
remedy  to  prevent  the  spread  of  disease. 

The  real  test  of  a  system  of  polity  is  the  test  of  its  fruits 
in  human  life.  It  is  difficult  to  isolate  a  system  sufficiently 
to  apply  this  test.  Certain  causes  tend  to  lower  the  stan- 
dards of  Christian  life,  on  any  system.  And  on  any  system 
Christianity  has  within  itself  a  recuperative  power.  But 
when  we  pass  from  the  first  centuries  to  the  later,  and 
note  the  deterioration  of  character  in  the  average  believer 
and  the  increasing  externality  of  his  religion,  we  cannot 
but  feel  that  part  of  the  change  was  due  to  the  change  in 
system.  The  Catholic  System  took  the  believer  out  of  his 
immediate  relation  to  the  Deity,  relieved  him  of  his  sense 
of  direct  spiritual  responsibility.  And  the  system  bore  fruit 
after  its  kind. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE   RENASCENCE    OF  DEMOCRACY 

The  Reformation  of  the  sixteenth  century  did  for  Reli- 
gion what  the  Renascence  had  done  for  Arts  and  Letters. 
It  broke  the  authority  of  tradition  through  the  revival  of 
an  older  and  better  standard.  The  Bible,  put  into  the 
hands  of  the  people  as  the  rule  of  faith  and  practice,  w^orked 
as  much  of  an  emancipation  as  classical  models  in  the  hands 
of  artists  and  scholars.  The  monopoly  of  the  Catholic  Sys- 
tem vf2iS  broken  in  a  large  portion  of  Europe.  The  sacer- 
dotal notions  of  ministry  and  sacraments  were  overthrown 
and  the  "priesthood  of  beHevers"  put  in  their  place. 
Thousands  were,  for  the  first  time,  introduced  to  Christ  in 
a  direct,  personal  relation.  Thus  the  soil  was  prepared  for 
a  spiritual  democracy  like  that  of  the  early  centuries. 
Christ  was  once  more  the  living  Head  of  the  Church,  with 
believers  as  His  vice-regents. 

In  the  field  of  church  polity,  however,  the  Reformers  as 
a  body  stopped  short  of  the  full  impHcations  of  Christ's 
monarchy.  Passages  might  be  quoted  from  Luther's  writ- 
ings to  show  that  he  read  from  his  New  Testament  the 
democratic  theory  of  the  church  and  its  government.^  But 
many  causes  led  Luther  and  his  associates  to  modify  this 
view  when  they  came  to  practice, — the  apparent  necessity 
of  alliance  with  the  civil  authority,  their  paramount  inter- 

^G.  P.  Fisher,  The  Reformation,  488  ff. 
(43) 


44  DEMOCRACY    IN    THE    CHURCH 

est  in  doctrine  rather  than  in  polity,  and  particularly  their 
reaction  from  the  excesses  of  the  democratic  Anabaptists. 
Zwingli,  holding  substantially  the  same  theory  of  the 
Church,  thought,  with  Luther,  that  the  people  were  not 
ripe  for  self-government.-^  Calvin,  whose  influence  was  to 
be  so  wide-spread,  had  a  natural  preference  for  aristocracy.^ 
And  though  he  believed  the  Bible  should  be  regulative  in 
church  polity,  he  admitted  that  some  features  of  his  system 
were  dictated  by  expediency.^ 

The  "Reformed"  churches  were  returning,  partly  con- 
sciously and  partly  unconsciously,  to  the  church  constitu- 
tion of  the  beginning  of  the  third  century,  the  theory  of 
which  had  persisted  through  the  Middle  Ages.  "There  is 
common  to  both  the  conception  of  the  three-fold  ministry 
of  pastor  or  bishop,  elder  or  presbyter,  and  deacon,  and 
both  have  the  theoretical  equivalence  of  the  offices  of 
bishop  and  elder  (save  only  a  special  seat  in  the  Church 
and  the  right  to  ordain  elders  and  deacons),  while  in  prac- 
tice the  bishop  or  pastor  is  the  real  head  of  the  whole  of 
the  ecclesiastical  life.  In  both  there  is  the  idea  that  the 
unit  of  organization  is  the  Christian  community  of  the 
place,  and  the  conception  that  the  unity  can  be  preserved 
by  a  collegiate  administration.  Both  have  the  thought  that 
the  whole  congregational  activity  centers  in  the  bishop  or 
pastor,  who  is  the  leader  in  public  worship  and  who  cele- 
brates the  sacraments.  Both  believe  strongly  that  each  con- 
gregation is  a  portion  of  the  visible  Catholic  Church,  that 
catholicity  can  best  be  reduced  to  a  polity  by  means  of 
representative  councils  with  gradually  widening  areas  of 
control,  and  that  the  ordination  of  a  bishop  or  pastor  is  to 

Ud.  495.  ''J.  Calvin,  Epist.,  54. 

Md.  496,   198. 


THE    RENASCENCE    OF    DEMOCRACY  45 

be  performed  by  the  pastors  or  bishops  of  the  bounds  as 
representatives  of  the  Church  Catholic."^ 

But  it  was  possible  to  go  farther  back  in  the  history  of 
the  Church  for  a  model,  and  thus  apply  their  new  standard 
with  more  logical  consistency.  With  the  Bible  open  before 
them  as  the  sole  and  sufficient  rule  of  faith  and  practice,  it 
was  to  be  expected  that  some  would  wish  to  return  in  all 
lengths  to  the  New  Testament  way.  As  Professor  Walker 
has  said,  "granting  the  correctness  of  the  Reformers'  prin- 
ciples, it  is  always  right  for  a  man,  or  a  body  of  men,  to 
apply  this  test  to  the  actual  condition  of  any  organization 
claiming  to  be  the  church,  and  if  it  be  found  wanting,  to 
attempt  its  alteration  into  conformity  with  the  prescrip- 
tions of  that  divine  standard."^  This  was  done  by  the 
various  bodies  of  so-called  Anabaptists  on  the  continent  of 
Europe.  Their  aim  was  to  restore  primitive  Christianity. 
They  made  the  Church  consist  of  the  congregations  of  true 
believers  scattered  throughout  the  world,  rejected  infant 
baptism,  and  denied  the  right  of  civil  magistrates  to  inter- 
fere in  matters  of  conscience.  The  aim  was  praiseworthy, 
but  the  vagaries  and  fanaticism  of  many  Anabaptists  more 
than  counterbalanced  the  contribution  they  might  have 
made  to  the  renascence  of  democracy  in  the  Church. 

The  movement  toward  Democracy  which  was  to  affect 
America  and  here  find  its  fruitage  was  English  rather  than 
continental.  From  one  of  its  corollaries  it  came  to  be 
branded  as  "Separatism."  The  English  Puritans  in  general 
followed  Calvin,  and  on  his  lines  fought  the  battle  with 
the  Crown  for  a  completer  reformation.    They  held  to  the 

*  Lindsay,  Church  and  the  Ministry y  259;  cf.  205. 
'W.    Walker,    History  of  the  Congregational  Churches  in  the 
United  States y  4. 


46  DEMOCRACY    IN    THE    CHURCH 

theory  of  a  national  church,  of  which  all  baptized  inhabi- 
tants of  England  were  members  unless  excommunicated. 
The  first  literary  exponent  of  Separatism  or  Congregation- 
alism was  Robert  Browne,  a  graduate  of  Cambridge,  which 
was  then,  as  afterward,  a  hotbed  of  Puritan  ideas.  Adopt- 
ing radical  views  and  being  inhibited  from  preaching  at 
Cambridge,  Browne  went  to  Norwich."  There  he  began  to 
develop  his  system  and  about  1580  gathered  a  small  Con- 
gregational church.^  The  main  part  of  the  church  fled  to 
Holland  soon  after  and  there  his  various  treatises  were 
published. 

The  successive  steps  in  Browne's  system  have  been 
thus  admirably  summarized  by  Dr.  Dexter.^  "  i .  It  is  nec- 
essarily the  first  duty  of  every  true  Christian  to  endeavor  the 
highest  attainable  purity  of  faith  and  life.  ...  2.  The 
Church  of  England  was  inwardly  so  corrupt,  and  out- 
wardly so  under  subjection  to  an  unscriptural  hierarchy, 
that  every  true  Christian  ought  to  strive  at  once  to  obtain 
its  reform,  or,  faiHng  that,  to  separate  from  it  to  follow 
Christ  elsewhere.  ...  3.  There  was  no  hope  of  reform 
for  the  Church  of  England  from  the  civil  power,  neither 
any  obligation  to  wait  for  Prince  or  magistrate.^  .  .  . 
4.  No  reasonable  hope  of  reform  was  offered  by  the  Pres- 
byterian plan.    This  was  not  merely  open  to  the  objection 

^  H.  M.  Dexter,  Congregationalism  as  seen  in  its  Literature,  70. 

'Op.  cit.,  98  ff.  See  in  the  foot-notes  the  quotations  on  which  his 
summary  is  based. 

'"Robert  Browne,  I  must  think,  is  entitled  to  the  proud  preemi- 
nence of  having  been  the  first  writer  clearly  to  state  and  defend  in  the 
English  tongue  the  true — and  now  generally  accepted — doctrine  of  the 
relation  of  the  magistrate  to  the  church.  He  says  the  magistrates  '  have 
no  ecclesiastical  authority  at  all,  but  only  as  any  other  Christians,  if  so 
they  be  Christians.'  "    Dexter,  op.  cit.,  loi  flf. 


THE     RENASCENCE    OF     DEMOCRACY  47 

of  tarrying  for  the  Prince,  but,  in  its  best  estate,  it  offered 
nothing  but  a  transfer  of  the  parish  churches  with  all  their 
objectionable  features,  to  another  state  likely  to  be  worse 
than  the  first.  .  .  .  5.  It  followed  that  it  must  be  the 
duty  of  all  true  Christians  to  gather  themselves  from  its 
defilements  into  separate  churches.  ...  6.  Any  com- 
pany of  apparently  true  believers,  separating  themselves 
thus  from  the  corrupt  State  church,  and  rightly  associating 
themselves  together,  in  so  doing  constitute  themselves  a 
true  Church  of  Christ,  independent  of  all  control  but  His. 
...  7.  Such  persons  rightly  constitute  themselves  a 
church  by  a  public  willing  covenant  made  with  God  and 
with  each  other,  in  which  they  promise  to  submit  them- 
selves to  His  lordship  and  government.  ...  8.  Church 
authority  resides  solely  in  the  lordship  of  Christ  over  these 
local  companies  of  affiliated  believers,  and  that  authority 
makes  itself  manifest  and  practical  for  the  government  of 
these  churches  through  its  individual  members  interpreting, 
exercising,  and  submitting  to,  those  principles  and  laws 
which  the  Great  Head  of  the  Church  has  laid  down  for 
them — all  under  the  promised  guidance  of  His  Holy  Spirit. 
...  9.  The  Scriptural  ordinary  officers  of  such  a  church 
are  a  Pastor,  a  Teacher,  one  or  more  Elders,  *for  over- 
sight and  counsel,  and  redressing  things  amiss,*  one  or  more 
ReHevers  and  one  or  more  Widows,  all  to  be  first  tried  and 
then  'duly  chosen.'^  .  .  .  lO.  The  Sacrament  of  the 
Lord's  Supper  is  the  seal  of  the  *  growing  together '  of  this 
church  'in  one  body,  whereof  Christ  is  the  head.'    .    .    . 

*  Browne  provides  in  his  system  (Dexter,  107  n)  for  officers  "who 
have  their  several  charge  over  many  churches," — apostles,  prophets  and 
evangelists.  He  probably  came  nearer  to  the  real  nature  of  the  minis- 
try in  the  Pauline  churches  than  any  man  until  the  last  half  century. 


48  DEMOCRACY    IN    THE    CHURCH 

II.  Since  the  great  object  of  such  a  church  is  to  train  its 
members  to  be  in  themselves  perfect  as  their  Father  which 
is  in  heaven  is  perfect,  and,  in  their  relation  to  others, 
workers  together  with  God  until  His  will  be  done  in  earth 
as  it  is  in  heaven ;  it  is  one  of  its  functions  as  a  body  to 
examine  constantly  the  lives  of  its  members,  with  a  view  to 
test  their  rate  of  pious  advancement,  and  check  and  correct 
all  that  is  not  as  it  ought  to  be.  .  .  .  12.  Every  such 
church  sustains  a  relation  to  the  headship  of  Christ  identi- 
cal with  that  of  every  other,  so  that  being  one  in  Him  they 
must  be  one  with  each  other.  As  to  Him  making  together 
one  family,  their  mutual  relation  must  be  a  sisterly  one; 
admitting  no  control  of  one  over  another,  but  always  invit- 
ing kind  offices,  and,  when  needful,  friendly  advice  and  aid 
from  all  to  any."  Provision  is  expressly  made  in  Browne's 
system  for  the  Synod,  which  he  says  is  "a  joining  or  par- 
taking of  the  authority  of  many  churches  met  together  in 
peace,  for  redress  and  deciding  of  matters  which  cannot 
well  be  otherwise  taken  up."^ 

Robert  Browne's  system  is  remarkable,  not  only  for  its 
logic  and  self-consistency,  but  for  its  insight  into  the  spirit 
of  Christ  and  Paul  which  shows  beneath  the  Scriptural 
letter.  As  Dr.  Dexter  says,  "By  one  long  leap  over  fifteen 
centuries,  it  replaced  the  idea  of  the  church  upon  the 
original  platform  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  [we  should 
prefer  to  say  of  the  Pauline  epistles  and  the  i8th  of 
Matthew];  restoring  it  to  be  in  harmony  with  all  pre- 
cepts, promises  and  warnings  of  the  Word."^  "It  was  an 
absolute  monarchy  so  diffused  in  the  channels  of  its  work- 
ing, as  to  become,  to   the  cognizance  of  that  philosophy 

^Booke  nuhich  Shewethy  51;  quoted  by  Dexter,  109. 
'Op.  cit.,  no. 


THE     RENASCENCE     OF    DEMOCRACY  49 

which  catalogues  results,  a  pure  democracy — one  king 
supreme,  reigning  through  as  many  viceroys  as  he  has  faith- 
ful subjects,  each  governing  himself  and  offering  all  friendly 
aid  to  the  government  of  all,  by  the  king's  law."^ 

Browne  deserves  to  rank  as  the  Prophet,  in  some  sense 
the  Father,^  of  ecclesiastical  democracy  in  modern  times. 
The  little  church  he  gathered  was  dissipated  in  Holland, 
largely  through  its  inquisitorial  discipline.  Browne  himself, 
never  a  practical  leader  of  men,  met  mental  and  spiritual 
shipwreck.^  But  the  seed  had  been  widely  scattered  and 
bore  fruit  in  many  places  and  in  different  ways.  Separatists 
in  general  came  to  be  known  as  Brownists.  This  term  of 
opprobrium  they  in  general  repudiated,  but  the  fact  that 
the  term  was  used  is  significant  of  Browne's  influence. 

Henry  Barrowe  ranks  with  Browne  as  the  exponent  of 
Separatism.  A  man  of  unusual  gifts,  graduate  of  Cam- 
bridge, lawyer  in  Gray's  Inn,  he  connected  himself,  soon 
after  his  conversion,  with  the  Congregational  Church  in 
London.  He  was  in  prison  for  conscience'  sake  from  1587 
until  his  execution  in  1593.^  His  expositions  of  church 
polity  were  issued  from  prison,  in  collaboration  with  his 
friend  Greenwood.    Barrowe's  theory  of  church  polity  is  of 

^Op.  cit.,  no. 

''Browne's  indebtedness  to  the  Anabaptists,  whether  in  Norwich 
or  Holland,  has  never  been  proved,  and  is  improbable  on  several 
grounds.  Cf.  Walker,  History^  35  f«  The  similarities  in  the  matter 
of  church  covenant  which  Mr.  Burrage  has  noted  (Champlin  Burrage, 
The  Church  Co'venant  Idea^  Philadelphia,  1904)  were  such  as  might 
occur  to  any,  and  probably  did  occur  to  many,  open-minded  readers  of 
the  Old  and  New  Testaments. 

'Dexter,   n6  ff. 

*  Walker,  History,  42  ff.  Professor  Walker  has  furnished  the  cor- 
rection of  the  former  date  (printed  1586). 


50  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE    CHURCH 

importance  from  its  influence  on  America.  He  accepts 
most  of  Browne's  positions  or  reaches  identical  ones, — the 
duty  of  separation,  the  nature  of  the  true  church,  and  its 
initiation  by  covenant.  But,  warned  it  may  be  by  the  con- 
spicuous failure  of  popular  government  in  some  of  the 
Brownist  churches,  he  introduces  an  important  change  in 
the  matter  of  church  office.  The  Elders^  are  to  be  "chosen 
and  ordained  by  all  by  pubHc  consent."  But,  once  chosen, 
they  are  "diligently  and  faithfully  to  execute  their  office 
unto  all,  not  prejudicing  the  liberty  of  any,  ambitiously 
assuming  any  inordinate  authority,  or  abusing  or  neglecting 
their  office,  neither  holding  nor  executing  it  in  regard  or  in 
respect  of  person ;  but  uprightly  and  indifferently  perform- 
ing it  unto  all  men,  as  in  the  eyes  of  God.  .  .  .  If  in 
anything  they  transgress  or  offend,  they  are,  as  well  as  any 
other  members,  hable  to  the  censure  of  the  church ;  which 
is,  to  reprove,  depose  or  excommunicate  them  according  to 
the  quality  of  the  sin  and  estate  of  the  offenders."^  From 
other  references  we  see  that,  though  the  congregation 
retains  the  right  of  election  and  of  deposition,^  they  were 
chiefly  to  follow  where  the  Elders  led.  "They  are  an  hum- 
ble, meek,  obedient  people ;  they  will  hear  and  follow  the 
true  shepherd."^  We  might  class  the  system  as  indirect 
democracy  in  local  government,  certain  powers  residing  in 
the  church  membership  being  delegated  to  the  office- 
holders.   The  Eldership,   as  events  proved,    would  mean 

^"Some  of  them  to  give  attendance  unto  the  public  ministry  of  the 
word  and  sacraments,  as  the  Pastor  and  Teacher ;  the  other  Elders, 
together  with  them,  to  give  attendance  to  the  public  order  and  govern- 
ment of  the  church." 

^  Brief  Discoverie,  46;  quoted  by  Dexter,  237. 

'But  not  of  nomination.    Dexter  351. 

^  Brief  Discoveries  167;  Dexter,  239. 


THE     RENASCENCE    OF    DEMOCRACY  5 1 

more  or  less,  according  to  the  temper  and  antecedents  of 
those  who  held  the  office. 

The  early  Barrowist  churches  suffered  the  same  ship- 
wreck as  the  Brownist,  on  the  matter  of  discipline.  But  a 
happier  course  was  in  store  for  the  little  church  gathered 
at  Scrooby  about  1606.^  Its  internal  peace  and  prosperity 
in  three  countries  were  largely  due  to  the  character  of  its 
leaders,  Brewster  and  Robinson,  both  of  them  educated 
men  and  men  of  singular  depth  of  character  and  breadth  of 
view.  Robinson  held  to  Barrowism  in  a  mild  form,  but  the 
congregation  was  Barrowist  only  in  theory.  "As  the 
church  for  a  considerable  time  had  had  only  its  Pastor ;  and 
never  at  Leyden  more  than  one  Ruling  Elder,  whose 
place  seems  to  have  remained  unfilled  after  the  Speedwell 
sailed;  it  was  never  managed  on  Barrowe's  plan.  Such 
control  would  have  been  absurd.  Nominally  the  office 
existed.  Practically,  since  matters  were  handled  and  set- 
tled by  free  discussion  in  the  presence  of  all,  and  by  the 
Elders  exerting  a  merely  moral  leadership,  such  as  belonged 
to  them  unofficially  as  strong  men  and  wise  men  and  godly 
men,  rather  than  officially  as  Elders;  the  Barrowism  of  the 
church  was  reduced  to  its  minimum  of  the  element  of  the 

1  An  offshoot  of  the  Congregational  church  of  Gainsborough, 
gathered  by  John  Smyth  some  years  earlier.  Bradford  thus  refers  to 
the  covenant,  apparently  the  covenant  of  the  original  church,  though 
probably  the  same  was  repeated  at  Scrooby.  "As  the  Lord's  free  peo- 
ple they  joined  themselves  (by  a  covenant  of  the  Lord)  into  a  church 
estate,  in  the  fellowship  of  the  gospel,  to  walk  in  all  his  ways,  made 
known  or  to  be  made  known  unto  them,  according  to  their  best  en- 
deavors, whatsoever  it  should  cost  them,  the  Lord  assisting  them." 
Hist.  Plim.  Plantation,  6.  The  date  for  the  organization  of  the  Scrooby 
church  is  that  furnished  by  Professor  Walker,  on  the  basis  of  recent 
investigations. 


52  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE     CHURCH 

Eldership,  and  exalted  to  its  maximum  of  the  element  of 
the  choosing  and  consenting  action  of  the  membership."  ^ 
The  course  of  events  in  Plymouth,  after  the  emigration  of 
the  majority  of  the  church,  served  to  develop  still  further  a 
practical  democracy  hardly  to  be  distinguished  from 
Brow^nism.^ 

The  fact  that  the  Plymouth  church,  though  Separatist 
and  practically  democratic,  w^as  in  theory  Barrowist  with  a 
government  through  the  presbytery,  proved  of  immense 
importance  for  the  propagation  of  Congregational  principles. 
The  general  body  of  Puritans  vv^ho  came  to  Massachusetts 
were  still  Nationalists,  hating  the  very  name  of  Separatist, 
and  with  a  strong  preference  for  the  Presbyterian  way. 
The  first  detachment  reached  Salem  in  1628.  Sickness 
in  the  company  led  to  their  sending  to  Plymouth  for  Dr. 
Fuller,  who  was  not  only  a  physician  but  one  of  the  dea- 
cons in  the  church.  He  so  well  improved  his  opportunity 
to  allay  their  prejudices  that  Endicott  wrote:  "I  acknowl- 
edge myself  much  bound  to  you  for  your  kind  love  and 
care  in  sending  Mr.  Fuller  among  us,  and  rejoice  much 
that  I  am  by  him  satisfied  touching  your  judgments  of  the 
outward  form  of  God's  worship.  It  is,  as  far  as  I  can  yet 
gather,  no  other  than  is  warranted  by  the  evidence  of  truth, 
and  the  same  which  I  have  professed  and  maintained  ever 
since  the  Lord  in  mercy  revealed  himself  unto  me;  being 
far  from  the  common  report  that  hath  been  spread  of  you 
touching  that  particular."^  That  is,  the  Plymouth  church, 
however  democratic  in  practice,  was  in  the  theory  of  its 
government  a  semi-Presbyterianism.  Thenceforward  the 
two  churches  sustained  close  fraternal  relations. 

Whether  from  the  influence  of  Plymouth,  or  from  re- 

*  Dexter,  397  ff.  'Id.  414.  'Bradford,  Hist.  172. 


THE    RENASCENCE    OF    DEMOCRACY  53 

flection,  or  from  the  force  of  circumstances,  Salem  and  the 
later  churches  of  this  immigration  came  to  take  substantially 
the  Separatist  position.  Probably  all  these  causes  entered 
into  the  "  Congregationalizing  of  Puritanism,"  but  in 
proportions  we  cannot  now  determine.  At  Salem  two 
ministers  were  chosen  and  inducted  into  office  with  the 
laying  on  of  hands,  although  previously  ordained  in  Eng- 
land. This  was  a  recognition  of  the  fact  that  the  authority 
of  their  officers  came  directly  from  the  people.  Within  a 
month  they  had  gone  further.  Instead  of  including  as 
church  members  all  baptized  persons  in  the  community,  as 
they  evidently  started  to  do,  and  then  purifying  the  church 
by  the  exercise  of  discipline,  they  adopted  the  Separatist 
practice  of  "culling  out  the  well  approved  disciples  from 
the  general  multitude  and  constituting  them  into  a  church 
by  themselves."^  Thirty  persons  were  named  as  first 
members,  who  then  constituted  themselves  a  church,  by 
formal  covenant  with  God  and  with  one  another.  The 
officers  previously  chosen  were  then  "ordained"  over  again. 
A  belated  delegation  from  Plymouth  declared  their  appro- 
bation and  concurrence,  and  greeted  the  new  church  with 
"the  right  hand  of  fellowship."  Similar  proceedings  were 
followed  elsewhere.^ 

*L.  W.  Bacon,  Story  of  the  Congregationaltsts,  36. 

'We  have  followed  the  uniform  representation  of  later  historians, 
as  against  Professor  Walker's  inferences  from  Gott's  contemporary  let- 
ter {Creeds  and  Platforms  of  Congregationalism ,  104).  If  we  re- 
member that  on  the  Nationalist  position  there  was  already  a  "church" 
at  Salem,  with  "members,"  there  is  nothing  in  the  letter  to  discredit 
the  received  picture,  unless  it  is  his  single  reference  to  "covenant," 
which  seems  to  be  loosely  used.  It  is  probable  that  they  would  reach 
the  Separatist  position  by  successive  steps ;  and  the  double  ordination 
of  later  tradition  is  hard  to  explain  on  any  other  theory  than  the  one 


54  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE    CHURCH 

The  course  taken  by  the  churches  in  New  England 
excited  curiosity  and  criticism  among  the  Puritans  of  the 
mother  country.  Hence  grew  the  formulation  and  defence 
of  Congregational  polity  by  the  ablest  leaders  in  New  Eng- 
land—  Davenport,  Mather,  Cotton,  Hooker  and  others. 
Their  views  were  not  uniformly  acceptable.  Certain  of  the 
New  England  ministers  held  to  a  strict  Presbyterianism. 
This  fact  and  the  debates  which  flowed  from  it  led  to 
the  Cambridge  Synod,  which  in  1648  adopted  the  famous 
Platform  of  Church  Discipline. 

The  Cambridge  Platform  is  a  landmark  in  Congrega- 
tional history,  and  expresses  the  general  theory  of  church 
polity  held  by  the  early  New  England  churches.  As  was 
to  be  expected,  it  is  Barrowism  and  not  Brownism.  Thus, 
in  the  vital  point  of  the  source  of  church  power:  "Ordi- 
nary church  power  is  either  the  Power  of  Office,  that  is, 
such  as  is  proper  to  the  Eldership:  or  Power  of  Privilege, 
such  as  belongs  unto  the  brotherhood.  The  latter  is  in 
the  brethren  formally,  and  immediately  from  Christ;  that 
is,  so  as  it  may,  according  to  order,  be  acted  or  exercised 
immediately  by  themselves.  The  former  is  not  in  them 
formally  or  immediately,  and  therefore  cannot  be  acted  or 
exercised  immediately  by  them,  but  is  said  to  be  in  them, 
in  that  they  design  the  persons  unto  office  who  only  are 
to  act  or  to  exercise  this  power."  ^  As  a  later  section 
expresses  it:  "This  government  of  the  church  is  a  mixed 
government.    ...    In  respect  of    Christ,  the    Head  and 

given,  and  hard  to  explain  away.    {Cf.  L.  Bacon,  Genesis  of  the  N.  E. 
Churches,  472  flF).    Further,  the  formation  of  the  Charlestown  church 
(as  New  Haven,  and  probably  others)  by  a  few  put  forward  to  be  first 
members  seems  to  imply  a  model  at  Salem. 
^Platform,  Chap.  V,  2. 


THE     RENASCENCE     OF    DEMOCRACY  55 

King  of  the  church,  and  the  sovereign  power  residing  in 
him  and  exercised  by  him,  it  is  a  Monarchy;  in  respect 
of  the  body  or  brotherhood  of  the  church,  and  power  from 
Christ  granted  unto  them,  it  resembles  a  Democracy;  in 
respect  of  the  Presbytery  and  power  committed  to  them, 
it  is  an  Aristocracy."^ 

Taking  the  Cambridge  Platform  as  our  starting-point, 
we  shall  note  some  tendencies  in  Congregational  history 
up  to  the  time  of  the  Great  Awakening. 

I.  The  Presbytery, — The  Platform  provides  for  a  College 
of  elders,  including  pastor,  teacher  and  ruling  elders. 
Among  their  functions  are  the  following :  to  call  the 
church  together  on  occasion;  to  prepare  matters  in  pri- 
vate, that  in  public  they  may  be  carried  on  with  less  trou- 
ble and  more  dispatch;  to  be  guides  and  leaders  to  the 
church  in  all  matters  pertaining  to  church  administration 
and  action. 2  But  this  Presbyterian  element  in  the  govern- 
ment of  the  New  England  churches  soon  perished  through 
attenuation.  Even  before  1648  the  functions  of  Pastor  and 
Teacher  had  begun  to  coalesce  in  one  man,  as  was  inevita- 
ble with  their  limited  financial  resources.^  And  the  College 
of  Elders  soon  reduced  itself  to  one  RuHng  Elder  (besides 
the  Pastor),  and  finally  to  none  at  all.  So  that,  as  Dr. 
Dexter  says,  by  the  first  quarter  of  the  eighteenth  century 
the  Eldership  had  come  to  consist  of  "only  one  man — the 
pastor,  who  received  from  it  the  legacy  of  general  control, 
with  a  specific  veto  power  which  made  his  sole  negative 
outvote  'the  Positive'  of  the  whole  church  beside."*    The 

lid.  X,  3. 

'Id.  VII,  2.    Ten  specific  duties  are  enumerated. 

'  C/.  Dexter;  op.  cit.,  435. 

*Id.  485  et  ante. 


56  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE     CHURCH 

Barrowist    theory   broke    down    by    its   own   weight    and 
reduced  itself  in  practice  ad  absurdum, 

2.  Status  of  the  Ministry. — The  Platform  leaves  no  loop- 
hole for  sacerdotalism  in  its  theory  of  church  office.  "  Ordi- 
nation we  account  nothing  else  but  the  solemn  putting  of 
a  man  into  his  place  and  office  in  the  church  whereunto 
he  had  right  before  by  election,  being  Hke  the  installing  of 
a  magistrate  in  the  commonwealth.  .  .  .  The  essence 
and  substance  of  the  outward  calling  of  an  ordinary  officer 
in  the  church  doth  not  consist  in  his  ordination,  but  in  his 
voluntary  and  free  election  by  the  church,  and  in  his 
accepting  of  that  election.  ...  In  such  churches  where 
there  are  no  Elders,  imposition  of  hands  may  be  performed 
by  some  of  the  brethren  orderly  chosen  by  the  church 
thereunto.  .  .  .  Church  officers  are  officers  to  one  church, 
even  that  particular  church  over  which  the  Holy  Ghost 
hath  made  them  overseers.  ...  He  that  is  clearly  loosed 
from  his  office-relation  unto  that  church  whereof  he  was  a 
minister,  cannot  be  looked  at  as  an  officer,  nor  perform  any 
act  of  office  in  any  other  church,  unless  he  be  again  orderly 
called  unto  office;  which,  when  it  shall  be,  we  know  noth- 
ing to  hinder  but  imposition  of  hands  also  in  his  ordination 
ought  to  be  used  towards  him  again. "^  With  the  increas- 
ing power  of  the  Pastor,  as  residuary  legatee  of  the  Presby- 
tery, came  a  semi-sacerdotal  notion  as  to  his  office.  By 
Cotton  Mather's  time,  "plebeian  ordination"  would  have 
been  a  matter  of  "discourse  and  wonder." ^  Ordination 
came  to  be  regarded  as  "for  hfe,"  admitting  a  man  once 
for  all  into  a  special  order  of  the  ministry,  with  certain 
almost    priestly   prerogatives.      But    these    assumptions   of 

^Chap.  IX  passim. 
'  Dexter,  482. 


THE     RENASCENCE    OF    DEMOCRACY  57 

church  power  by  the  ministry  were  steadily  resisted  by 
many  churches.^ 

3.  Church  Membership. — The  Platform  expresses  the 
view  of  Brownists  as  well  as  Barrowists^  when  it  defines 
"the  matter  of  a  visible  church"  as  those  who  give  evi- 
dence of  regeneration  (those  who  "in  charitable  discretion 
may  be  accounted  saints  by  calling")  together  with  their 
infant  offspring.^  Repentance  and  faith  are  the  two  things 
required  for  church  membership.  And  "the  weakest  meas- 
ure of  faith  is  to  be  accepted  in  those  that  desire  to  be 
admitted  into  the  church ;  because  weak  Christians,  if  sin- 
cere, have  the  substance  of  that  faith,  repentance  and  holi- 
ness which  is  required."*  The  Platform  specifies  a  personal 
relation  and  confession,  but  says  that  "severity  of  examina- 
tion is  to  be  avoided."  "The  like  trial  is  to  be  required 
from  such  members  of  the  church  as  were  born  in  the 
same,  or  received  their  membership  and  were  baptized  in 
their  infancy  or  minority  by  virtue  of  the  covenant  of  their 
parents,  when,  being  grown  up  unto  years  of  discretion, 
they  shall  desire  to  be  made  partakers  of  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per. .  .  .  Yet  these  church  members  that  were  so  born 
or  received  in  their  childhood,  before  they  are  capable  of 
being  made  partakers  of  full  communion  have  many  privi- 
leges which  others  (not  church-members)  have  not:  they 
are  in  covenant  with  God;  have  the  seal  thereof  upon 
them,  viz..  Baptism;  and  so,  if  not  regenerated,  yet  are  in 
a  more  hopeful  way  of  attaining  regenerating  grace  and  all 

1  Cf.  id.  487. 

^  Cf.  Browne,  Booke  luhich  Sheiveth,  37  fF ;  Se'ven  Articles  of  the 
Leyden  Church,  2nd  explan.  note;  Hooker,  Sur'vey,  i.  13  ff.  (Walker, 
Creeds,  etc.^  13,  91,  143). 

"Chap.  HI. 

*Chap.  Xn,  3. 


58  DEMOCRACY    IN    THE     CHURCH 

the  spiritual  blessings  both  of  the  covenant  and  seal ;  they 
are  also  under  church  watch,"  etc.^ 

Now  on  these  points  the  Platform  had  sought,  through 
general  statements,  to  evade  the  issue.  The  Cambridge 
Synod  was  convened  for  the  express  purpose  of  settling  the 
questions  as  to  baptism  and  church-membership  which  were 
agitating  the  colonies.^  But  the  roUing  away  of  the  Pres- 
byterian cloud  (political  events  in  England  were  the  back- 
ground on  which  the  Platform  was  painted),  and  the  emer- 
gence of  great  diversity  of  view  in  the  assembly,  caused  the 
Synod  on  this  point  to  reject  Mather's  original  draft.  This 
had  provided  that  "such  as  are  born  in  the  church  as 
members,  though  yet  they  be  not  found  fit  for  the  Lord's 
Supper,  yet  if  they  be  not  culpable  of  such  scandals  in  con- 
versation as  do  justify  church-censures,  it  seemeth  to  us, 
when  they  are  married  and  have  children,  those  their  chil- 
dren may  be  received  to  Baptism."^  This  whole  question, 
left  unsettled  by  the  Synod,  was  to  prove  a  fruitful  source 
of  trouble.  Were  baptized  children  members  of  the  church 
or  not?  We  might  say  that  technically  they  were  not. 
They  did  not  as  such  receive  the  franchise  in  Massachu- 
setts and  New  Haven.*  But  it  would  take  very  little  to 
consider  them  church-members,  as  by  the  text  of  the  Plat- 
form they  were,  which  meant  a  backsliding  to  the  "parish 
way." 

We  note  two  tendencies.  One  was  to  leave  the  large 
charity  of  the  Cambridge  Platform  and  put  an  undue  stress 

^Chap.  xn,  7. 

'Walker,  Creeds y  etc.,  244. 

'Id.  224,  n.  3. 

*  It  must  always  be  remembered  that  the  questions  centering  around 
the  Half-way  Covenant  were  religious  and  ecclesiastical,  rather  than 
political. 


THE     RENASCENCE     OF    DEMOCRACY  59 

on  the  experience  of  regeneration.  Cotton  Mather,  writ- 
ing at  the  end  of  the  century,  notes  that  the  personal 
relation  on  admission  into  membership  had  been  surrounded 
with  "unscriptural  severities,"  which  were  "as  a  scarecrow 
to  keep  men  out  of  the  Temple."^  But  with  the  decay  of 
introspective  piety  in  the  second  generation  it  was  increas- 
ingly difficult  to  bring  persons,  otherwise  exemplary,  up 
to  the  standard  required  for  full  communion.  .The  facts 
of  the  situation  gave  rise  to  a  second  tendency,  in  line  with 
Mather's  original  draft  for  the  Cambridge  Platform.  By 
the  illogical  system  nicknamed  the  "Half-way  Covenant," 
baptized  persons  of  exemplary  life  could  transmit  to  their 
children  the  right  of  baptism,  with  its  implicit  church- 
membership  by  covenant.  This  position  was  adopted  by 
the  assembly  of  ministers  which  met  at  Boston  in  1657, 
and  again  by  the  Massachusetts  Synod  of  1662.  In  both 
Massachusetts  and  Connecticut  the  opposition  to  the  Half- 
way Covenant  was  strong.  But,  though  never  universally 
adopted  by  the  churches,  its  supporters  were  a  growing 
party.  And  the  tendency  kept  on  tending,  in  its  natural 
direction.  The  churches  grew  less  and  less  scrupulous  as 
to  the  character  of  those  admitted  into  half-way  covenant ; 
they  broadened  the  amount  of  church  privilege  to  which 
this  covenant  entitled  them.^  The  tendency  reached  its 
climax  in  the  view  of  Solomon  Stoddard,  at  the  end  of  the 
century,  that  the  Lord's  Supper  is  a  converting  ordinance, 
that  it  is  to  be  appHed  to  visible  saints,  and  that  visible 
saints  are  "such  as  make  a  serious  profession  of  the  true 
rehgion,  together  with  those  that  do  descend  from  them, 
till  rejected  of  God.V^    This  view,  adopted  by  the  majority 

^Dexter,  483.  'See  Walker,  Creeds,  281  f. 

Md.475. 


6o  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE     CHURCH 

of  the  churches  in  western  Massachusetts  and  largely 
entertained  elsewhere/  was  scarcely  to  be  distinguished,  in 
theory  or  practice,  from  the  parish  way  of  England. 

4.  Connection  between  the  Churches. —  The  Cambridge 
Platform  is  an  excellent  statement  of  what  Cotton  termed 
"the  Middle  Way  between  that  which  is  called  Brownism 
and  the  Presbyterial  government  as  it  is  practiced."^  It 
says:  "Although  churches  be  distinct  and  therefore  may 
not  be  confounded  one  with  another,  and  equal  and  there- 
fore have  not  dominion  one  over  another,  yet  all  the 
churches  ought  to  preserve  Church-communion  one  with 
another,  because  they  are  all  united  unto  Christ,  not  only 
as  a  mystical  but  as  a  political  Head ;  whence  is  derived  a 
communion  suitable  thereunto."^  This  communion  of  the 
churches  is  exercised  in  six  ways, — (i)  mutual  care ;  (2) 
consultation,  by  means  of  a  synod,  or  a  council  of  the 
churches  concerned;  (3)  admonition  of  one  church  by  an- 
other, and,  if  necessary,  with  the  aid  of  synod  or  council ;  (4) 
participation;  (5)  recommendation  of  members;  (6)  relief 
and  succor.  The  Platform  further  says  that  "when  a  com- 
pany of  believers  purpose  to  gather  into  church  fellowship, 
it  is  requisite,  for  their  safer  proceeding  and  the  maintaining 
of  the  communion  of  churches,  that  they  signify  their 
intent  unto  the  neighbor  churches  walking  according  unto 
the  order  of  the  Gospel,  and  desire  their  presence  and  help 
and  right  hand  of  fellowship,  which  they  ought  readily  to 
give  unto  them,  when  there  is  no  just  cause  of  excepting 
against  their  proceedings."*  Provision  is  also  made  for 
Synods,  composed  of  elders  and  messengers  of  the  churches, 
but  without  ecclesiastical  functions.^ 

1  Id.  282.  «Chap.  XV.  I.  "^XVI. 

2 Dexter,  434.  *XV,  3. 


THE     RENASCENCE    OF    DEMOCRACY  6l 

Though  this  continued  to  be  the  way  of  the  New  Eng- 
land churches,  we  note  two  opposing  tendencies,  especially 
in  the  latter  part  of  the  period  under  consideration.  The 
general  decay  of  faith,  evidenced  by  the  Reforming  Synod 
of  1679,  and  some  dangerous  innovations  in  Boston  church 
circles  which  it  seemed  impossible  to  check,  led  to  the  Pro- 
posals of  1705,  representing  a  wide-spread  feehng  among 
Massachusetts  ministers  in  favor  of  stricter  church  gov- 
ernment.^ The  proposal  for  standing  councils  was  never 
prosecuted,  however,  the  opposition  in  Massachusetts,  both 
lay  and  clerical,  being  too  strong.^  In  Connecticut  this 
proposal  fared  better.  A  synod  convened  by  the  General 
Court  in  1 708  drew  up  the  Saybrook  Platform.  Consocia- 
tions, or  standing  councils,  were  created,  one  or  more  for 
each  county,  made  up  of  the  elders  and  messengers  of  the 
churches.  "When  any  case  is  orderly  brought  before  any 
Council  of  the  churches,  it  shall  there  be  heard  and  de- 
termined, which  .  .  .  shall  be  a  final  issue,  and  all 
parties  therein  concerned  shall  sit  down  and  be  determined 
thereby;  and  the  Council  so  hearing  and  giving  the  result 
or  final  issue  in  the  said  case  as  aforesaid  shall  see  their 
determinations  or  judgment  duly  executed."^  Refusal  of 
any  pastor  or  church  either  to  attend  or  to  conform  to 
the  decision  is  considered  "scandalous  contempt,"  involving 
a  "sentence  of  non-communion."  There  is  no  appeal, 
though  one  consociation  may  call  in  others  if  it  sees  fit. 
This  system,  backed  by  the  Connecticut  legislature,  went 
into  operation  in  all  the  counties  of  the  state.  Some  of 
the  churches  were  not  in  sympathy  with  it,  and  from  the 
beginning  there  was  a  difference  of  interpretation.    Some 

1  Walker,  Creeds,  491.  ^Saybrook  Platform,  5. 

'Id.  492. 


62  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE     CHURCH 

counties  read  in  the  platform  a  virtual  Presbyterianism. 
New  Haven  county  made  the  decisions  of  the  consociation 
inoperative  vi^ithout  the  approval  of  the  church  concerned.^ 

Along  w^ith  this  tendency  toward  a  more  centralized 
polity  went  one  in  exactly  the  opposite  direction,  toward 
greater  liberty  for  the  churches.  As  early  as  the  calling  of 
the  Cambridge  Synod  we  note  a  sensitiveness  on  the  part 
of  some  of  the  churches  as  to  any  encroachment  on  their 
liberty,^  and  the  feeling  had  evidently  been  growing  in 
Massachusetts.  It  was  strong  enough  to  cause  the  mis- 
carriage of  the  Proposals  of  1705.  The  Hberty  of  the 
churches  found  a  champion  in  Rev.  John  Wise,  of  Ipswich 
(Essex),  Mass.,  whose  stinging  little  books,  published  in 
1710^  and  1 71 7,  were  called  out  by  the  establishment  of 
Consociationism  in  Connecticut.  His  attempt  was  to  bring 
the  churches  back  to  the  Cambridge  Platform  as  their 
Magna  Charta.  But  his  second  book  was,  in  fact,  an  orig- 
inal demonstration  of  the  nature  and  value  of  Democracy. 
The  conclusion  Wise  reaches  is,  "i.  That  the  people  or 
fraternity,  under  the  gospel,  are  the  first  subject  of  power  ; 
...  2.  That  a  democracy  in  church  or  state  is  a  very 
honorable  and  regular  government  according  to  the  dictates 
of  right  reason ;  and  therefore,  3.  That  these  churches  of 
New  England,  in  their  ancient  constitution  of  church  order, 
it  being  a  democracy,  are  manifestly  justified  and  defended 
by  the  law  and  light  of  Nature."^ 

5»  Relation  of  Church  and  State. — The  Cambridge  Plat- 
form states  that  "the  power  and  authority  of  magistrates  is 

*See  interpretations  printed  in  Walker,  Creeds ^  513  ff. 

»Id.  171  ff. 

'A  second  edition  in  171 5. 

^Vindication  of  the  Neiv  England  Churches,  ed.  i860,  p.  60. 


THE     RENASCENCE    OF     DEMOCRACY  63 

not  for  the  restraining  of  churches  or  any  other  good  works, 
but  for  helping  in  and  furthering  thereof."^  They  have  no 
power  to  compel  their  subjects  to  become  church-members 
or  to  partake  of  the  Lord's  Supper.^  But  their  authority 
extends  to  the  first  as  well  as  the  second  table.^  "Idolatry, 
blasphemy,  heresy,  venting  corrupt  and  pernicious  opinions 
that  destroy  the  foundation,  open  contempt  of  the  word 
preached,  profanation  of  the  Lord's  day,  disturbing  the 
peaceable  administration  and  exercise  of  the  worship  and 
holy  things  of  God,  and  the  Hke,  are  to  be  restrained  and 
punished  by  civil  authority."* 

Here  also  there  were  two  currents  in  New  England  his- 
tory. In  Massachusetts  and  New  Haven,  Congregational- 
ism was  set  up  as  the  State  Church,  regulated  by  the 
General  Court  in  certain  particulars  such  as  the  setting  up 
of  new  churches,  and  with  the  electoral  franchise  Hmited 
to  those  who  were  full  church-members.  No  such  provi- 
sions existed  in  Plymouth  and  Connecticut.  But  in  these 
colonies  the  relations  between  Church  and  State  were 
close,  and  organized  dissent  was  likely  to  be  put  down  by 
the  secular  arm.  So  the  two  currents  were  not  yet  widely 
divergent.  It  is  not  easy  for  us  to  appreciate  the  position 
taken  by  the  fathers.  The  historic  prejudice  against  Ana- 
baptist and  Quaker  anarchy  must  be  given  due  allowance. 
As  a  political  measure  the  attempt  of  the  colony  govern- 
ments to  compel  religious  uniformity  may  have  been  justi- 
fied at  the  beginning.  But  on  the  whole  this  relation 
between  Church  and  State  worked  ill.  It  meant  injustice 
and  persecution.  By  its  interference  with  Hberty  of  con- 
science, that  is  with  the  Lordship  of  the  Spirit  in  the  soul 

iChap.  XVII,  3.  'Id.  6. 

''Id.  4.  Md.  8. 


64  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE    CHURCH 

of  each  believer,  it  unwittingly  struck  at  the  very  basis  of 
Christian  democracy. 

We  here  leave  for  the  moment  the  course  of  Congrega- 
tional history  to  glance  at  another  movement  in  the  Ameri- 
can Church,  which  took  the  line  of  an  exphcit  democracy. 
The  current  of  English  Separatism  began  to  divide  into 
two  streams  as  early  as  1609.^  At  that  date  part  of  the 
Gainsborough- Amsterdam  church  (of  which  the  Scrooby 
church  was  an  offshoot)  adopted  anti-pedobaptist  views 
under  the  leadership  of  the  pastor,  John  Smyth.  This  was 
to  follow  the  course  already  taken  by  the  Anabaptists  on 
the  continent,  and  partly  as  a  result  of  their  influence.^ 
Thus  the  "Baptists"  who  came  to  New  England  were  radi- 
cal Brownists,  boldly  carrying  the  principle  of  a  regenerate 
membership  to  its  farthest  logical  conclusions.  Even  had 
they  been  more  temperate  in  the  expression  of  their  views, 
they  must  have  come  into  conflict  with  the  churches  of 
the  standing  order,  which,  as  we  have  seen,  were  Barrowist 
not  Brownist.^  The  result  of  denunciation  on  the  one  hand 
and  persecution  on  the  other  was  the  founding  of  the  new 
settlements  of  Providence  and  Rhode  Island,  where  the 
Baptists  were  free  to  propagate  their  radical  views. 

A  regenerate  church-membership  had  been  the  demand 
of  Puritanism.  The  various  congregational  churches  took 
the  logical,  and,  as  events  in  England  proved,  the  only 
practical  method  of  attaining  this, — separation  from  the 
corrupt    national    church.    The  New  England   churches, 

^  A.  H.  Newman,  Hist,  of  the  Baptist  Churches  in  U.  S.,  38  f. 

^Id,  42,  etc. 

'The  actual  conflict,  as  we  might  expect,  was  sharper  with  the 
Massachusetts  colony  than  with  Plymouth,  and  Salem  which  was 
strongly  under  the  influence  of  Plymouth. 


THE     RENASCENCE    OF     DEMOCRACY  65 

however,  were  quite  ready  to  fellowship  the  parish  churches 
of  England.  They  believed,  as  John  Robinson  had  beheved, 
that  "though  there  was  no  true  Church  of  England,  there 
were  many  true  churches  in  the  bounds  of  the  Establish- 
ment."^ But  to  Roger  WilHams  nationalism  was  a  sin,  a 
sin  that  had  something  contagious  about  it.^  Even  fra- 
ternal fellowship  with  unseparated  churches  would  taboo  a 
church  for  him  and  true  Christians  Hke  him.  Though  car- 
ried then  and  often  to  these  ultra-logical  extremes,  the 
insistance  of  the  Baptists  on  a  regenerate  rather  than  a 
nominal  church  -  membership  was  sincere  and  valuable. 
Their  protest  was  needed  in  the  face  of  the  standing  dan- 
ger that  the  Congregational  churches  would  return  to 
inclusive  church-membership. 

As  a  corollary  of  the  principle  of  a  regenerate  member- 
ship, the  Baptists  held  that  only  the  regenerate  (which 
meant  for  them  believers  sufficiently  mature  to  be  con- 
sciously regenerate)  were  proper  subjects  for  baptism. 
This  in  itself  was  hardly  ground  for  setting  up  separate 
churches.  Baptist  views  would  probably  have  spread  faster 
if  this  had  not  been  necessary.  But  the  attitude  of  the 
Established  Order,  as  it  shows  in  a  string  of  cases  from 
1642  on,^  notably  the  case  of  President  Dunster,  made 
separation  not  only  a  right  to  be  claimed  but  a  duty  to  be 
followed. 

A  further  corollary  was  the  freedom  of  conscience  before 
the  law.  Robert  Browne  had  insisted  on  the  absolute  sepa- 
ration of  Church  and  State.  And  this  partly  on  principle, 
because  there  could  be  no  rule  in  the  Church  but  that  of 
Christ,  and  partly  from  practical  experience,  because  the 

1  Walker,  Hist.,  218.  HA.  124  ff. 

^  Cf.  Newman,  op.  cit.,  64. 


dd  DEMOCRACY    IN    THE     CHURCH 

interference  of  the  magistrate  was  the  chief  hindrance  to 
purifying  the  English  Church.^  The  New  England  colo- 
nists, overlooking  the  principle,  thought  that  the  practice 
would  do  very  well  if  you  got  the  right  sort  of  magistrates. 
All  honor  to  Roger  Williams  for  rediscovering  this  last 
corollary  of  the  Separatist  position.  He  "advocated  the 
most  complete  separation  of  church  and  state  at  a  time 
when  there  was  no  historical  example  of  such  separation ; 
nay,  when  to  the  mass  of  Christian  men  everywhere  such  a 
separation  was  almost  inconceivable."^  He  not  only  advo- 
cated it,  but  he  set  up  a  new  colony  where  separation  of 
Church  and  State  was  embodied  in  the  frame  of  govern- 
ment, and  where  liberty  of  conscience  was  allowed  from 
the  beginning.  The  code  of  laws  drawn  up  for  the  incor- 
poration of  "Providence  Plantations"^  closes  with  these 
words: — "These  are  the  laws  that  concern  all  men,  and 
these  are  the  penalties  for  the  transgression  thereof,  which 
by  common  consent  are  ratified  and  established  throughout 
this  whole  Colony ;  and  otherwise  than  thus  what  is  herein 
forbidden,  all  men  may  walk  as  their  consciences  persuade 
them,  every  one  in  the  name  of  his  God.  And  let  the 
saints  of  the  Most  High  walk  in  this  Colony  without 
molestation  in  the  name  of  Jehovah  their  God  forever  and 
ever."  Rhode  Island  stands  with  Pennsylvania  as  an  oasis 
of  toleration  in  an  intolerant  age.  Here  and  there,  in  the 
outer  desert,  Baptist  and  Quaker  suffered  side  by  side  for 
the  same  principle,  often  reinforced,  through  a  strange 
trick  of  circumstance,  by  Episcopalian  and  Romanist. 

1  See  ante  p.  46  and  note. 

'^Newman,  op.  cit.,  69. 

^Newman,  loi.  Largely  the  work  of  John  Clarke,  who,  if  he  had 
published  more,  would  probably  outrank  Williams  as  an  advocate  of 
Toleration. 


THE     RENASCENCE     OF     DEMOCRACY  67 

To  the  Baptist  churches  in  America  belongs  the  honor 
of  being  the  first  to  hold,  both  in  theory  and  practice,  a 
direct  democracy.  Their  influence  in  democratizing  the 
Congregational  churches  was  probably  Httle  or  none.  But 
their  contribution  was  great  along  two  mutually  related 
lines  —  the  right  of  Hberty  of  conscience,  and  the  right  of 
Christian  association.  The  former  we  have  already  dis- 
cussed, but  we  should  dwell  on  the  latter  for  a  moment. 
The  Baptists  claimed  the  right  of  any  company  of  Chris- 
tians to  come  out  and  form  a  new  church,  if  they  could  not 
conscientiously  abide  by  the  principles  and  practice  of  the 
church  where  they  were.  And  this  even  if  it  must  be  a 
church  of  one,  hke  that  of  Roger  Williams  in  his  later 
years.^  As  long  as  this  right  of  local  association  was  denied, 
there  was  a  reason  for  the  Baptist  protest.  The  little 
Baptist  church  in  Boston,  for  instance,  in  its  suffering  for 
conscience'  sake  from  1665  to  i68o,^  was  fighting  for  a 
principle.  By  the  opening  of  the  eighteenth  century  Baptist 
churches  were  tolerated  in  Massachusetts,  which  meant  a 
tacit  recognition  of  the  truth  of  their  position  in  this  mat- 
ter. This  recognition  became  more  than  tacit  when,  in 
1718,  Increase  Mather  and  his  son  Cotton  took  the  leading 
parts  at  the  ordination  of  a  pastor  in  the  Boston  Baptist 
church,  and  the  latter  in  his  sermon  said :  "Let  good  men 
go  as  far  as  they  can  without  sin  in  holding  communion 
with  one  another.  But  where  sinful  terms  are  imposed, 
there  let  them  make  their  stops  ;  there  a  separation  becomes 
a  duty ;  there  the  injunction  of  Heaven  upon  them  is,  Be 
ye  separate,  saith  the  Lord,  and  touch  not  the  unclean 
thing,  and  I  will  receive  you."^  All  very  true,  even  if  a 
century  late,  and  even  if  Cotton  Mather  said  it. 

^  Cf.  Newman,  80.  ^Id.  195,  et  ante.  ^Id.  196. 


68  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE     CHURCH 

In  the  Congregational  churches  the  early  eighteenth 
century  was  a  period  of  slow  internal  ferment.  The  half- 
way covenant  was  not  working  well.  The  decay  of  religion 
was  viewed  with  general  alarm,  and  attempts  at  ecclesias- 
tical consolidation  did  not  better  matters  as  the  leaders  had 
hoped.  Non-church  members  were  growing  restive  under 
the  restriction  of  the  franchise.  The  estabhshed  connection 
between  Church  and  State  received  a  severe  shock  in 
Massachusetts  in  1725  when  a  sack-cloth-and-ashes  Synod 
was  forbidden  to  meet  by  the  governor.  John  Wise  had 
formulated  a  new  theory  of  Congregational  polity  that 
planted  it  on  a  foundation  of  pure  democracy.  Though 
Wise  in  his  lifetime  was  a  good  deal  like  a  voice  crying  in 
the  wilderness,  his  views  were  becoming  more  potent  every 
year.^ 

The  Great  Awakening  of  1734  onward  began  the  pre- 
cipitation of  tendencies  and  forces  that  had  long  been  in 
solution.  Good  and  evil  were  mixed  up  in  it,  but  both  the 
good  and  the  evil  turned  out  to  the  purifying  of  Congre- 
gationalism, as  a  system  of  polity.  The  revival  of  religion 
again  created  a  soil  in  which  a  spiritual  democracy  could 
grow.  For  though  the  Awakening  was  followed  by  a  period 
of  lethargy,  this  in  turn  was  followed  by  a  second  wave  of 
revival.  The  emphasis  of  the  Edwardian  theology  on 
"conversion,"  no  doubt  an  undue  emphasis,  opposed  the 
Half-way  Covenant  and  gradually  undermined  it.^  The 
controversy  between  Old  Lights  and  New  Lights  in  Con- 
necticut, with  the  "gathering  of  churches  out  of  churches," 
strained  the  Consociational  system  until  this  too  was  un- 

iC/.  Walker,  History,  211. 

^Practically  at  an  end  by  the  close  of  the  century;  some  vestiges 
as  late  as  1828.    Walker,  Creeds,  287. 


THE     RENASCENCE    OF     DEMOCRACY  69 

dermined/  especially  after  the  withdrawal  of  state  support 
for  it  in  1784.  Some  vestiges  of  "Establishment"  lingered 
for  a  time,  in  Connecticut  until  1818,  and  in  Massachusetts 
until  1833. 

By  the  first  decades  of  the  nineteenth  century  the  pure 
democracy  enunciated  by  John  Wise,  and  a  century  and  a 
half  earlier  by  Robert  Browne,  had  practically  leavened 
New  England.^  The  Cambridge  Platform,  even  on  a  liberal 
interpretation,  no  longer  represented  the  practice  of  the 
churches.  But  the  direction  taken  by  the  later  Congre- 
gationalism was  chiefly  due  to  the  personahty  and  work  of 
Nathaniel  Emmons.^  His  emphasis  on  the  independence 
of  the  local  church  was  extreme,  and  the  effects  of  such 
excessive  emphasis  are  still  seen.  But,  as  Professor  Walker 
has  said,  "the  development  of  the  Congregational  churches 
throughout  the  eighteenth  century  was  such  as  to  make 
natural  the  teachings  of  Emmons  regarding  polity.  The 
first  two  generations  on  American  soil  saw  the  growth  of 
the  principle  of  fellowship.  That  principle  then  became 
so  embedded  in  American  Congregationahsm  that  it  has 
continued,  and  found  constant  manifestation  down  to  the 
present  day.  But  from  the  time  of  the  Great  Awakening, 
if  not  earlier,  this  centralizing  tendency  was  supplanted  by 
an  emphasis  on  local  independence.  Many  causes  contrib- 
uted to  this  result ;  the  growth  of  democracy  in  political 
thought  culminating  in  national  independence,  the  doctrinal 

^  For  details  see  Walker,  id.,  515.  Four  Consociations  still  re- 
main, representing  about  one-fifth  of  the  Connecticut  churches,  but  they 
differ  little  from  Conferences. 

'^Dexter,  506. 

'1745-1840.  His  influence  lay  partly  in  the  fact  that  he  was  "for 
more  than  forty  years  in  himself  a  theological  seminary,  graduating  in 
all  at  least  one  hundred  pupils."    Dexter,  507. 


70  DEMOCRACY    IN    THE     CHURCH 

divisions,  the  differences  of  opinion  as  to  method  arising 
out  of  the  revivals,  the  rapidly  lessening  interference  of  the 
civil  governments  in  ecclesiastical  affairs,  all  tended  to  make 
the  local  church  free  and  democratic ;  w^hile  the  new  im- 
pulses tow^ard  voluntary  union  springing  out  of  missionary 
efforts  at  home  and  abroad,  v^^hich  have  tended  to  centralize 
modern  Congregationalism  in  united  endeavor,  did  not  begin 
to  appear  till  the  very  close  of  the  eighteenth  century."  ^ 

Emmons  has  been  accused  of  Jacobinism,^  and  w^ith 
considerable  reason,  though  the  term  is  ill-chosen.  Like 
John  Wise,  he  follows  the  social  compact  theory  in  its 
literal  and  fallacious  form.  But  the  church  polity  reached 
by  this  line  of  reasoning  is  identical  with  that  which  Robert 
Browne  derived  from  the  principle  of  association,  with 
Christ  and  through  Him  with  fellow  Christians.  It  is  with 
church  polity  rather  than  with  the  theory  of  church  polity 
that  we  are  at  present  chiefly  concerned. 

For  the  principal  points  in  Emmons'  system  we  again 
quote  Dr.  Dexter:  "i.  A  specific  form  of  church  govern- 
ment was  instituted  by  Christ  in  the  eighteenth  of  Mat- 
thew—  which  is  Congregationalism.  2.  Christ  is  the  sole 
lawgiver  of  His  church,  and  all  the  power  which  Congre- 
gational churches  have  is  to  interpret  and  apply  His  law ; 
being  entrusted  with  no  legislative,  but  only  with  ministerial, 
functions.  3.  A  Congregational  church  is  a  pure  democ- 
racy. 4.  The  pastor  of  such  a  church  has  never  the  right 
to  negative  its  votes ;  being  simply  its  moderator,  and  one 
of  its  brethren.  5.  No  Congregational  church  is  superior, 
and  none  inferior,  to  any  other.  Their  fundamental  relation 
to  the   Great  Head  makes  them,  whatever  their  outward 

1  Walker,  Hist.,  307. 

'L.  W.  Bacon,  The  Congregationalists,  188  et passim. 


THE    RENASCENCE     OF     DEMOCRACY  7 1 

estate,  equal  sisters.  6.  There  can  be  no  appeal  from  the 
authority  of  a  particular  church  to  any  higher  Ecclesiastical 
tribunal,  for  God  has  constituted  no  such  tribunal.  Churches 
may  ask  advice  of  each  other,  and  may  associate  for  mutual 
advantage ;  but  such  an  association  can  take  from  those 
churches  no  power  higher  than  theirs,  and  consequently 
can  possess  none."^ 

This  may  stand  today  as  being,  for  substance  of  doctrine, 
the  pohty  of  the  Congregational  churches.  We  may  put 
beside  it  the  brief  statement  adopted  by  the  Boston  Coun- 
cil of  1865.  "This  Council  recognizes  as  distinctive  of  the 
Congregational  polity — First,  the  principle  that  the  local  or 
Congregational  church  derives  its  pow^er  and  authority 
directly  from  Christ,  and  is  not  subject  to  any  ecclesiastical 
government  exterior  or  superior  to  itself.  Second,  that  every 
local  or  Congregational  church  is  bound  to  observe  the 
duties  of  mutual  respect  and  charity  which  are  included  in 
the  communion  of  churches  one  with  another;  and  that 
every  church  which  refuses  to  give  an  account  of  its  pro- 
ceedings, when  kindly  and  orderly  desired  to  do  so  by 
neighboring  churches,  violates  the  law  of  Christ.  Third, 
that  the  ministry  of  the  gospel  by  members  of  the  churches 
who  have  been  duly  called  and  set  apart  to  that  work 
implies  in  itself  no  power  of  government,  and  that  ministers 
of  the  gospel  not  elected  to  office  in  any  church  are  not  a 
hierarchy,  nor  are  they  invested  with  any  official  power  in 
or  over  the  churches."^ 

^  Dexter,  507.  See  Emmons'  sermon  on  the  Platform  of  Ecclesias- 
tical Government  Established  by  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  on  which  the 
summary  is  based.  The  "Jacobinism  "  must  be  apparent  to  every  reader 
of  the  sermon. 

^Walker,  Creeds,  567.  The  substitute  resolution  proposed  by 
Professor  Park. 


72  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE     CHURCH 

Nathaniel  Emmons'  position  is  a  far  cry  from  the  decla- 
ration of  John  Cotton  in  1636,  that  democracy  was  never 
ordained  of  God  "a  fit  government  either  for  church  or 
commonw^ealth."^  Democratic  tendencies  had  triumphed, 
and  the  various  issues  in  Congregational  history  which  we 
have  noted  had  all  been  settled  along  democratic  Hnes. 
Our  churches  reached  the  position  as  to  internal  polity 
inherited  by  both  Congregationalists  and  Baptists  from  the 
first  English  Separatism.  A  direct  democracy  is  today  repre- 
sented by  a  large  and  influential  portion  of  the  American 
Church.2 

In  external  polity  the  Congregational  churches  are  still 
distinguished  from  the  Independents  of  England  and  from 
other  bodies  in  America  which  are  essentially  congrega- 
tional, by  their  mutually  responsible  fellowship.^  The  devel- 
opment of  our  missionary  societies  and  of  a  system  of  local, 
state  and  national  associations  have  checked,  but  not  over- 
come, the  Independency  with  which  Congregationahsm 
was  infected  a  hundred  years  ago.  Fellowship,  however, 
has  always  been  recognized  and  practiced,  and  the  last  few 
years  have  given  indications  of  a  new  centripetal  tendency. 

Only  a  brief  glance  will  be  necessary  at  other  American 

^  Dexter,  354. 

'Taking  Dr.  Carroll's  classification  and  figures,  based  on  the  cen- 
sus of  1890  (H.  K.  Carroll,  Religious  Forces  in  the  U.  S.,  398  ff), 
and  counting  simply  the  Protestant  Christian  bodies,  the  congregational 
polity  is  represented  by  5,616,605  communicants,  or  40  per  cent;  the 
episcopal  by  5,300,080,  or  38  per  cent;  the  presbyterian  by  3,088,184, 
or  22  per  cent.  Using  Dr.  Carroll's  figures  for  1904  {Social  Progress 
Year  Book,  1905),  with  the  same  classification,  we  have  congregational, 
8,029,635,  or  41  per  cent;  episcopal,  7,183,215,  or  37  per  cent;  pres- 
byterian, 4,222,920,  or  22  per  cent. 

'Walker,  History,  436,  etc. 


THE     RENASCENCE     OF    DEMOCRACY  73 

Churches.  One  point  to  be  noted  is  that  from  the  Revolu- 
tion, or  very  soon  after,  all  the  churches  in  America  have 
been  on  a  voluntary  basis.  Outside  of  New  England, 
Establishment  had  been  attempted  for  the  Episcopal  Church, 
and  on  a  very  limited  scale  for  the  Reformed.  But  a  com- 
bination of  circumstances  caused  the  abandonment  of  this 
close  connection  of  Church  and  State.  Thus  various 
religious  bodies,  w^hich  historically  and  as  a  part  of  their 
polity  w^ere  "national,"  have  been  forced  to  the  democratic 
position  of  gathering  churches  by  voluntary  association. 

The  Presbyterian  Church  has  seen  a  further  movement 
toward  democracy,  due  partly  to  the  number  of  New  Eng- 
land Puritans  in  its  ministry  and  membership,  and  partly  to 
the  individualism  of  the  Great  Awakening.  The  effect  was 
chiefly  on  the  conceptions  of  Baptism  and  church-member- 
ship. In  the  words  of  Dr.  Thompson,  "The  'judgment  of 
charity '  of  the  Reformed  churches  was  displaced  by  the 
Anabaptist  demand  for  a  church-membership  giving  'credi- 
ble evidence  of  regeneration.'"^  On  this  side  the  purely 
democratic  theory  of  the  local  church  has  largely  replaced 
that  of  historic  Presbyterianism.^  There  has  also  been  a 
change  in  the  conception  of  the  eldership,  until  the  elders 
are  practically,  and  for  some  writers  theoretically,  merely 
the  lay  representatives  of  the  people.^  The  chief  contribu- 
tion of  the  Presbyterians  to  American  church  polity  has 
been  their  method  of  synodical  government.  In  their  view 
the  Church  "consists  of  a  series  of  assemblies,  congrega- 
tional, presbyterial,  provincial  (or  synodical),  national  and 
ecumenical.     Each  larger  body  embraces  as  its  parts  all  the 

iR.  E.  Thompson,  Hist,  of  the  Presb.  Churches  in  the  U.  <S.,  37. 

»C/.  id.  88. 

'Notably  Dr.  Charles  Hodge;  id.  141. 


74  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE     CHURCH 

lesser  which  fall  within  its  bounds,  and  possesses  their  func- 
tions of  teaching,  worship  and  discipline."^  As  carried  out 
through  the  representative  principle,  this  is  democracy,  of 
the  indirect  rather  than  the  direct  type. 

Methodism  in  America  has  had  an  interesting  career, 
from  the  standpoint  of  church  polity.  It  began  simply  as  a 
society  for  the  conversion  of  men  and  their  spiritual  train- 
ing. As  Lee  said  in  i8io:^  "We  were  only  a  religious 
society,  and  not  a  church ;  and  any  member  of  any  church, 
who  would  conform  to  our  rules  and  meet  in  a  class,  had 
liberty  to  continue  in  his  own  church."  The  authority 
exercised  by  Wesley  through  his  lieutenants  was  that  of  a 
commander-in-chief  in  time  of  war.  The  Methodist  society 
was  on  a  war-basis,  and  perhaps  no  more  efficient  fighting 
machine  was  ever  devised.  Most  of  the  Methodists  had 
been  members  of  the  English  Church,  and  it  was  only  on 
the  breakdown  of  the  Establishment  in  the  Middle  and 
Southern  states  after  the  Revolution  that  Wesley  saw  the 
necessity  for  a  distinct  Church.^  This  was  created  in  1784, 
on  the  general  model  of  the  English  Church.  The  bishop, 
however,  was  regarded  merely  as  a  superintendent,  with  no 
sacerdotal  powers.*  The  old  military  government  and  dis- 
ciphne  were  continued,  everything  being  subordinated  to 
aggressive  Christian  work.  We  might  describe  the  system 
as  an  aristocracy,  self-perpetuating  and  hmited  only  by  a 
constitution  of  its  own  making. 

The   last  hundred  years  is  the  history  of  the  gradual 

lid.  226. 

^  Short  History;  J.  M.  Buckley,  Hist,  of  Methodists  in  the  U.  S., 
142. 

^  Buckley,  230  ff. 

*The  term  used  until  1788  was  "superintendent,"  id.  257. 


THE    RENASCENCE     OF     DEMOCRACY  75 

democratizing  of  the  Methodist  Church.  The  demand  for 
lay  representation  in  the  government,  which  led  to  the 
secession  of  the  Methodist  Protestants  in  1830/  was  con- 
ceded by  the  Northern  Church  in  1872.  The  result  is  an 
indirect,  though  very  indirect,  democracy.  The  powers  of 
bishops  and  presiding  elders  seem  to  vary  according  to  the 
temper  of  their  constituency,  the  tendency  being  toward 
a  larger  measure  of  local  self-government. 

The  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  on  its  reconstruction 
after  the  Revolution,  attempted  to  follow  the  Hne  of  an 
indirect  democracy,  which  should  be  in  harmony  with  the 
American  spirit.  It  has  succeeded  fairly  well,  in  spite  of 
its  antecedents  and  the  rise  of  a  High-Church  school.  In 
the  government  of  the  church,  other  than  spiritual,  lay 
representatives"  have  a  large  place. 
1  Id.  364  S, 


CHAPTER   VI 

INTERPRETATIONS    OF  DEMOCRACY 

The  renascence  of  Democracy,  as  seen  in  the  various 
congregational  bodies  in  America,  and  even  in  bodies  not 
professedly  democratic,  has  been  of  immense  historic  im- 
portance. It  has  meant  a  return,  in  certain  important  direc- 
tions, to  the  theory  of  the  church  taught  by  Jesus  and 
practiced  by  His  first  followers.  We  are  thus  enabled  to 
attempt  the  reconstruction  of  ecclesiastical  theory,  with 
Christ  as  our  compass  and  the  practical  church  life  of 
America  as  our  field.  To  this  attempt  we  now  proceed, 
and  first  to  the  philosophical  groundwork  of  the  subject. 

The  renascence  of  Democracy  has  recovered  for  the 
Christian  Church  the  right  of  local  association.  Any  group 
of  sincere  believers  in  Jesus  Christ  may  associate  for  Chris- 
tian worship  and  work.  And  wherever  such  a  company  is 
gathered,  there  is  a  true  church  of  Christ.  They  may  con- 
stitute themselves  a  church  by  a  formal  covenant.  Or  they 
may  await  the  act  of  presbytery  or  bishop.  But  before 
such  formal  covenant,  before  such  act  of  presbytery  or 
bishop,  the  church  exists,  in  the  body  of  associated  be- 
hevers  with  Christ  in  their  midst.  The  body  may  be  large 
or  small;  it  may  include  all  the  Christians  of  a  city  or  it 
may  be  a  group  apart.  In  its  ordinances,  its  worship,  its 
rules,  its  officers,  it  may  be  as  complex  as  Roman  Catholi- 
cism or  as  simple  as  Quakerism.    If  they  are  living  together 

(76) 


INTERPRETATIONS    OF    DEMOCRACY  77 

with  Christ  in  their  midst,  they  are  a  true  church  of  Christ. 
They  may  claim  as  an  inalienable  right  the  promises  He 
made.  So  far  as  they  abide  in  Him,  He  will  abide  in  them, 
giving  to  them  His  mind  and  His  spirit.  Whatever  may  be 
their  relation  to  other  bodies  or  to  other  parts  of  an  eccle- 
siastical system,  they  form  with  Christ  a  complete  church. 
If  occasion  arises  they  may  act  alone,  and  claim  His  author- 
ity for  so  acting ;  though  the  burden  of  proof  for  the  right 
to  act  alone  in  any  instance  must  rest  upon  them.  The 
rights  of  associated  Christian  brethren  may  be  held  in  abey- 
ance; but  they  can  never  be  surrendered,  for  they  come 
directly  from  the  Lord  Himself.  The  church  they  form 
with  Christ  is  independent  of  any  other  control  than  His. 
And,  however  small  or  obscure,  it  stands  "on  a  level  of 
inherent  genuineness,  dignity  and  authority  with  every 
other  church  on  earth. "^ 

This  right  of  local  association,  with  its  implications,  is 
today  accepted,  we  believe,  tacitly  if  not  expressly,  by  every 
branch  of  American  Protestantism.  Any  other  theory  of 
the  church  would  be  inconsistent  with  the  teachings  of 
Christ  and  with  the  facts  of  Christian  history.  Nothing 
short  of  this  can  do  justice  to  the  many  widely-differing 
bodies  which  today  make  up  the  Church  of  Christ. 

And  nearly  the  same  general  acceptance  would  be  given 
today  to  another  doctrine  of  Christ  which  Democracy  has 
recovered, — the  right  of  private  judgment.  This  was  held 
by  the  Reformers,  with  reference  to  the  interpretation  of 
Scripture.  But  the  Separatist,  interpreting  an  open  Bible 
with  an  open  mind,  carried  the  doctrine  to  its  logical  con- 
clusion, making  it  involve  the  rights  of  the  individual 
Christian  in  belief  and  conduct,  and  in  church  government 
^Dexter,  Congregationalism,  What  it  is,  etc.,  3. 


78  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE     CHURCH 

as  well.  Every  sincere  Christian  is  in  Christ,  and  Christ 
in  him.  "To  his  own  Lord  he  standeth  or  falleth."  He 
is  personally  responsible  to  God,  and  to  God  alone.  For 
his  opinions  and  his  conduct  he  may  seek  and  claim  the 
promised  guidance  of  the  Lord  the  Spirit.  That  this  guid- 
ance is  normally  mediated  through  the  Holy  Scriptures 
makes  no  difference  in  the  doctrine.  For  the  inspiration 
of  the  Scriptures  is  a  living  inspiration ;  the  same  Spirit 
who  was  with  Isaiah  and  Paul  and  John,  the  same  Word 
who  was  incarnate  in  Jesus  Christ,  is  speaking  today  to 
the  Christian  reader,  making  the  Bible  the  Word  of  God 
to  him. 

The  Christian's  relation  to  Christ  is  not  changed  when 
he  enters  the  visible  brotherhood.  In  the  church  he  simply 
forms  one  of  the  many  in  whom  the  Lord  abides,  so  far  as 
they  abide  in  Him.  And  if  each  sincere  Christian  has  an 
equal  claim  to  Christ's  guidance,  it  follows  that  he  has  an 
equal  claim  with  every  other  in  the  affairs  of  the  church. 
His  rights  may  be  held  in  abeyance.  He  may  follow  the 
action  of  the  majority.  He  may  do  what  some  one  man 
or  set  of  men  tells  him  to  do,  believe  what  they  tell  him 
to  believe.  But  his  rights  can  never  be  surrendered.  The 
seat  of  authority  for  the  individual,  the  channel  for  the 
authority  of  the  church,  is  in  the  depths  of  the  believer's 
soul,  illumined  by  the  Spirit  of  God.  If  occasion  arises,  he 
may  judge  and  act  alone,  as  God  gives  him  hght.  He  can 
claim  his  right  to  a  voice  in  the  affairs  of  the  brotherhood. 
He  may  be  cut  off  from  the  church  for  so  doing,  but  he 
cannot  be  cut  off  from  Christ. 

It  will  be  seen  at  once  that  these  two  doctrines,  how- 
ever fundamental,  are  not  all  the  truth.  Nor  do  they 
exhaust  the  theory  of  the  church  as  given  by  Christ.    In 


INTERPRETATIONS    OF     DEMOCRACY  79 

practice  the  freedom  of  the  individual  behever  is  modified 
by  the  law  of  brotherliness.  We  might  say  that  freedom 
finds  its  perfect  expression  in  fellowship.  The  rights  of  the 
one  are  merged  in  the  rights  of  the  many.  Only  so  can 
men  live  together  and  work  together,  as  an  organized  body, 
amid  differences  of  individual  opinion.  And  the  local  body 
of  behevers,  however  complete  in  itself,  finds  its  true  Hfe 
only  in  fellowship  with  other  bodies.  Behind  and  above 
the  many  local  churches  is  the  one  Church  of  Christ,  if 
you  please  the  Church  "Catholic,"  world-wide,  not  Roman 
Catholic  or  Greek  Catholic  or  Protestant  CathoHc,  but 
simply  Catholic,  wherever  Christ  has  established  His  throne 
in  the  hearts  of  men. 

These  truths  also  are  part  of  the  common  stock  of 
Christian  thought  today.  It  is  in  the  appHcation  of  them 
to  practical  church  hfe  that  present  differences  in  the  theory 
of  church  poHty  emerge.  Church  power  resides  in  the 
Christ-filled  behever,  in  the  complete  body  of  Christ  which 
is  present  in  each  local  society.  Just  how  are  these  residual 
powers  to  be  applied,  both  in  local  organization  and  in 
reahzing  the  essential  unity  of  the  Church  ?  Only  two 
theories  appear  to  be  possible,  and  each  has  been  extensively 
followed. 

The  first  theory  is  that  of  delegated  powers.  Members 
of  the  church  give  their  powers  to  an  officer  or  officers, 
who  thus  come  to  represent  the  church,  for  purposes  of 
government.  Similarly  the  local  church  gives  its  powers 
to  a  representative  body  or  representative  individuals,  who 
come  to  constitute  the  churches  so  represented,  or  "the 
Church  "  in  a  larger  sense.  The  system  resulting  may  be  a 
hierarchy  with  a  pope  at  its  head,  or  it  may  be  a  system 
of  elected  representatives,  running  through   session,  pres- 


8o  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE     CHURCH 

bytery,  synod  and  general  assembly.  Both  must  be  based 
logically,  whatever  their  historical  origin,  on  the  theory  of 
delegated  powers.  The  object  of  such  a  system  is  simply 
greater  efficiency, —  a  more  thorough  unity,  a  closer  co- 
operation, a  better  oversight.  The  rights  of  the  individual 
believer  and  of  the  local  body  of  believers  can  never  be 
alienated,  as  we  have  seen,  even  though  they  are  tempo- 
rarily surrendered  for  the  good  of  all.  On  this  theory 
democracy  is  impHed,  but  it  is  only  implicit. 

The  second  theory  is  that  of  associated  powers^  if  we  may 
be  permitted  to  coin  a  new  phrase,  where  none  is  ready 
to  hand.  In  matters  of  common  concern,  the  powers  re- 
siding in  the  individual  or  in  the  body  are  retained,  not 
delegated,  and  associated  with  similar  powers  retained  by 
other  individuals  or  bodies.  Each  believer  remains  a  vice- 
regent  of  Christ.  The  meeting  of  the  local  church  is  a 
parhament  of  equals,  where  action  is  taken  through  the 
collective  wisdom  of  the  membership,  guided  by  the  Spirit. 
If  unanimity  is  not  reached,  after  free  discussion,  the  ma- 
jority decides.  Democracy  is  actual  rather  than  potential, 
patent  rather  than  merely  latent.  The  several  churches 
meet  as  equals.  The  intercourse  between  them  is  the  fra- 
ternal intercourse  of  a  family.  As  each  church  is  self-gov- 
erning, no  church  can  dictate  to  another.  They  may  meet 
in  councils,  regular  or  special,  for  purposes  of  cooperation 
and  oversight.  But  such  councils  can  give  only  advice, 
which  has  weight  with  the  churches  in  proportion  to  the 
wisdom  of  it. 

Under  this  theory  the  various  congregational  bodies 
have  been  aggregated.  All  that  is  really  necessary  for  a 
close  and  stable  connection  between  churches  is  mutual 
respect, —  a  willingness  on  the  part  of  one  church  to  ac- 


INTERPRETATIONS    OF    DEMOCRACY  8 1 

knowledge  that  the  others  are  Christian  in  belief  and  prac- 
tice. The  broadest  basis  for  such  connection  is  furnished 
by  the  Congregational  churches,  specifically  so  called.  This 
denomination  is  the  sisterhood  of  those  self-governing 
churches  which  demand  of  each  other  one  thing  and  one 
thing  only, —  faith  in  Christ  as  the  qualification  for  church 
membership.  They  are  ready  to  fellowship  one  another  and 
receive  members  from  each  other  on  this  basis,  leaving 
baptism,  theological  belief,  etc.,  to  be  determined  by  the 
individual  Christian  or  the  individual  church.  We  give  this 
as  the  broad  definition,  allowing  "faith  in  Christ"  to  cover 
the  varying  requirements  for  membership  which  have 
obtained  in  the  course  of  Congregational  history.  If  the 
early  Congregationalists  in  America  excluded  any,  "it  was 
not  because  they  thought  them  Christians  of  a  different 
type  from  themselves,  but  because  they  judged  them  not  to 
be  Christians  at  all."  ^ 

It  has  been  a  matter  of  dispute  whether  it  is  proper  to 
speak  of  "the  Congregational  Church,"  "the  Baptist 
Church,"  etc.,  or  merely  "the  Congregational  churches," 
"the  Baptist  churches."  The  former  terms  have  been 
thought  to  mar  the  spiritual  unity  of  the  one  Church  of 
Christ.  Obviously,  if  it  is  proper  to  speak  of  "the  Pres- 
byterian Church,"  it  is  proper  to  speak  of  "the  Congrega- 
tional Church."  If  there  are  only  "the  Congregational 
churches,"  then  there  are  only  "the  Presbyterian  churches." 

1 "  Let  no  man  think  that  Thomas  Lechford  was  kept  out  of  our 
churches  for  maintaining  the  authority  of  bishops.  For  we  have  in  our 
churches  some  well-respected  brethren  who  do  indifferently  allow  either 
Episcopal,  or  Presbyterial,  or  Congregational  government,  so  be  it  they 
govern  according  to  the  rules  of  the  Gospel.  Neither  do  we  disturb 
such,  nor  they  us  in  our  communion  with  them."  Cotton,  fVay  of 
Cong.  Ch's  Cleared,  71;  Dexter,  462, 


82  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE     CHURCH 

That  powers  are  delegated,  not  merely  associated,  concerns 
the  form  rather  then  the  fact  of  social  oneness.  It  seems 
to  us  merely  a  difference  in  the  use  of  language.  Today, 
as  in  the  New  Testament,^  the  word  "church"  may  be 
used  in  an  ideal  or  in  a  real  sense.  The  church  as  a  real 
body  must,  by  its  very  nature,  be  local.  To  receive  an 
actual  collective  authority  such  as  is  promised  by  Christ  the 
company  of  Christians  must  be  relatively  compact.  So,  in 
varying  degrees,  the  church  in  the  house  of  Nymphas,  the 
Old  Church  South  of  Boston,  the  church  in  Corinth,  and 
perhaps  the  United  Congregational  Church  of  Newcastle.^ 
Several  congregations  may  unite  to  form  one  visible  church 
in  the  real  sense,  but  this  is  possible  only  in  small  homo- 
geneous districts.  For  mere  federation  of  churches  in 
district,  state  or  nation,  the  word  "church  "  must  be  taken 
in  a  different  sense,  that  is  as  ideal  rather  than  real.  Thus, 
if  we  remember  that  we  are  dealing  simply  with  an  idea, 
it  is  proper  to  speak  of  "the  Congregational  Church  of 
Boston,"  "the  Congregational  Church  in  Wisconsin,"^ "the 
Congregational  Church  in  the  United  States,"  or  the 
Presbyterian,  or  any  other  body  of  associated  churches.  To 
use  the  word  in  the  real  sense  when  the  churches  asso- 
ciated are  not  actually  one,  as  they  can  hardly  be  outside 
of  a  limited  area,  is  to  go  back  to  the  fallacy  of  the  Medi- 
aeval Realists. 

After  these  digressions  for  definition  we  may  return  to 
contrast  the  two  theories  of  church  polity,  with  the  sys- 

^  See  ante  p.  6  and  cf.  Matt.  i6  with  Matt.  i8. 

'This  "church"  probably  to  be  classed  as  ideal  rather  than  real, 
will  be  discussed  in  Chap.  IX. 

'Report  of  committee  of  three,  1904,  recommending  that  the  state 
Convention  incorporate  under  this  title.  See  Appendix  F, 


INTERPRETATIONS     OF     DEMOCRACY  83 

tern  developed  under  each.  Which  is  the  polity  of  Christ? 
It  is  evident  that  no  categorical  answer  can  be  given  to 
this  question.  The  Master  said  nothing  directly  on  the 
subject.  He  left  His  followers  to  work  out  their  own 
church  polity,  under  the  enlightenment  of  His  Spirit.  The 
Anabaptist  could  claim  that  enlightenment  equally  with  the 
Romanist.  He  has  been  present  with  His  Church,  through 
the  centuries,  under  every  system  of  ecclesiastical  polity. 

When  we  turn  to  History,  we  find  the  congregational 
theory  of  associated  powers  as  the  one  followed  by  the 
primitive  churches.  The  revival  of  this  theory  in  modern 
times  has  been  the  chief  instrument  in  giving  back  to  the 
Church  that  spiritual  democracy  which  is  essential  to  its 
life.  As  an  ecclesiastical  system,  direct  democracy  at  its 
best  possesses  peculiar  elements  of  strength.  The  bond 
between  the  churches  is  spiritual  rather  than  legal.  And 
we  can  hardly  stigmatize  as  a  "rope  of  sand"  that  "moral 
bond  which  held  the  primitive  churches  together  in  a 
quenchless  love  and  in  a  service  which  is  still  the  marvel 
of  the  ages,  and  which  has  held  the  churches  of  our  faith 
and  order  together  from  the  strenuous  days  of  Plymouth 
and  Salem  until  now,  and  under  which  they  have  become 
a  mighty  band  of  witnesses  and  workers."  ^ 

But  a  system  of  pure  democracy  has  its  own  weaknesses, 
on  the  side  of  unity  and  efficiency.  It  tends  to  encourage 
ultra-independence.  In  aggressive  work  it  has  found  the 
need  of  supplementing  itself  by  associations,  societies  and 
officers.  The  early  Christian  churches  soon  passed  to  the 
theory  of  delegated  powers,  though  of  course  the  repre- 
sentative principle  in  its  modern  form  was  lacking.  The 
logical  result  of  this  change  was  the  Catholic  System,  with 
^F.  A.  Noble,  Congregaiionalist,  Sep.  17,  1904. 


84  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE     CHURCH 

its  "trust"  methods.  But  we  have  here  the  suggestion  of 
History  that  a  higher  development  of  church  life  demanded 
this  closer  organization  w^hich  the  second  theory  renders 
possible.  The  recent  history  of  synodical  and  episcopal 
churches  in  America  shows  that  spiritual  democracy  is  not 
incompatible  with  the  theory  of  delegated  powers.  Their 
democracy  is  merely  latent  and  potential.  But  it  may  at 
any  time  become  actual.  With  voluntary  churches  and  a 
representative  system,  the  rights  of  the  local  church  and  of 
the  individual  beHever  are  guarded,  in  the  eyes  of  many 
sufficiently  guarded.  And  the  indirectness  of  the  democracy 
makes  for  unity  and  efficiency. 

This  question  therefore  arises.  Has  the  congregational 
theory  done  its  work  for  modern  Christendom,  and  outlived 
its  usefulness?  It  has  been  a  powerful  leaven  in  spreading 
the  democratic  principles  of  Christ.  Was  it  simply  a  leaven  ; 
and  is  the  whole  lump  leavened?  In  other  words,  does 
the  theory  of  delegated  powers,  with  its  representative  gov- 
ernment, give  the  closer  organization  which  is  needed  in 
the  highly  developed  church  life  of  the  present,  while  retain- 
ing all  the  merits  which  can  be  claimed  for  the  theory  of 
associated  powers?  To  answer  this  question,  for  church 
life  in  America,  we  shall  turn  to  the  analogy  of  American 
civil  government,  where  democracy  is  both  direct  and 
indirect.  This  will  help  us  to  see  how  far  it  is  possible  or 
wise  to  delegate  powers  residing  in  the  individual  or  local 
group  of  individuals. 


CHAPTER  VII 

A  DEMOCRATIC  STATE  AND  A  DEMOCRATIC  CHURCH 

Congregationalism  has  contributed  much,  directly 
and  indirectly,  to  the  democracy  of  the  American  State.  A 
comparison  will  be  instructive  between  these  two  democ- 
racies, of  Church  and  State,  so  closely  related  at  the  start 
and  yet  so  different  in  development.  The  democracy  of  the 
State  has  become  extremely  complex,  while  congregational- 
ism,  as  a  form  of  government,  is  practically  where  it  was 
in  1620.  A  study  of  this  fact  and  the  reasons  for  it  may 
have  its  lessons  for  the  Church.  A  recent  writer  has  asked 
the  question  whether  Congregationalism  is  "a  hard  and 
fast  scheme  of  church  government,"  or  whether  it  is 
^'applied  democracy  in  church  government  in  the  process 
of  development  into  a  complete  system."  ^ 

American  democracy  may  be  said  to  begin  in  the  cabin 
of  the  Mayflower.  "In  the  name  of  God,  Amen.  We 
whose  names  are  underwritten,  the  loyal  subjects  of  our 
dread  sovereign  lord  King  James,  etc.,  etc.,  having  under- 
taken for  the  glory  of  God  and  advancement  of  the  Christian 
faith,  and  honor  of  our  king  and  country,  a  voyage  to  plant 
the  first  colony  in  the  northern  parts  of  Virginia ;  do  by 
these  presents  solemnly  and  mutually,  in  the  presence  of 
God  and  one  of  another,  covenant  and  combine  ourselves 

ij.  H.  Chandler,  The  Undeveloped  Resources  of  Congregation- 
alism (Menomonee,  Wis.,  Oct.  8,  1903),  3. 

(85) 


86  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE     CHURCH 

together  into  a  civil  body  politic,  for  our  better  ordering 
and  preservation,  and  furtherance  of  the  ends  aforesaid; 
and  by  virtue  hereof  [do]  enact,  constitute  and  frame  such 
just  and  equal  laws,  ordinances,  acts,  constitutions  [and 
officers],  from  time  to  time,  as  shall  be  thought  most  meet 
and  convenient  for  the  general  good  of  the  Colony:  unto 
which  we  promise  all  due  submission  and  obedience,  etc."  ^ 

Necessity  was  the  first  cause  of  their  drawing  up  such 
an  instrument.  They  had  landed  outside  the  jurisdiction  of 
the  Virginia  Company,  from  which  they  held  their  patent. 
Rather  than  be  without  a  government,  they  proceeded  to 
form  a  government  for  themselves.  This  was  characteristic 
of  men  trained  under  English  law  and  familiar  with  a  large 
measure  of  local  self-government.  But  we  must  remember 
that  the  Pilgrims  were  not  constituting  a  government  for  a 
single  community ;  rather  for  a  colony  which  would  in  time 
embrace  many  communities.  This  is  apparent  from  the 
phraseology  of  the  compact,  from  the  title  of  "governor" 
given  to  their  chief  officer,  and  from  the  later  history  of 
their  political  enterprise,  though,  as  Bancroft  says,  "for 
more  than  eighteen  years  the  whole  body  of  inhabitants 
constituted  the  legislature."^ 

To  organize  a  town  government  on  the  general  model 
of  the  English  parish  would  have  been  a  comparatively 
simple  matter.  And  this  was  done  throughout  New  Eng- 
land. Some  of  the  towns  were  organized  on  shipboard 
before  landing.  But  for  the  institution  de  novo  of  a  general 
government,  even  in  the  king's  name,  they  had  no  political 
precedents.  The  idea  of  the  sovereignty  of  the  people  was 
doubtless  present  in  the    English   constitution,  and   dimly 

^Text  as  in  Mourt's  Relation. 
"^History  of  the  U.S.  i.  372. 


A  DEMOCRATIC  STATE  AND  CHURCH    87 

present  in  their  minds.  Yet  not  clearly  enough  to  suggest 
the  action  taken.  It  was  their  ecclesiastical  experience 
which  supplied  what  was  lacking  in  the  poHtical.  The 
mutual  covenant  by  which,  years  before,  they  had  formed 
their  Congregational  church,  gave  them  the  needed  prece- 
dent for  forming  a  civil  body  politic.^ 

We  might  say  that  two  legal  fictions  were  latent  in  this 
action  of  the  Pilgrims.  First,  that  all  men  are  created 
equal,  with  equal  political  rights  and  powers.  The  doctrine 
of  the  common  priesthood  of  believers  had  found  its  logical 
expression  in  their  democratic  church.  They  were  now 
broadening  this  doctrine  and  applying  it  in  the  political 
sphere.  As  men  were  equal  before  God,  they  were  equal 
before  the  law  and  competent  to  frame  and  administer  civil 
institutions,  "without  tarrying  for  any."  Unconsciously, 
and  with  many  practical  reservations  as  the  years  went  on, 
the  New  England  colonists  built  upon  this  principle  of 
inherent  political  equality.  As  has  been  said  of  the  later 
explicit  declaration  of  it,  in  1776,^  though  false  in  an  abso- 
lute sense,  it  was  true  in  this  sense,  that  our  pohtical 
institutions  are  unworkable  on  any  other  theory.^ 

And  further,  their  ecclesiastical  experience  suggested  a 
second  legal  fiction,  that  social  contract  is  the  basis  of 
government.    This   also  is  false  in   literal  fact.    They  no 

1  Possibly  their  knowledge  of  Greek  political  philosophy  also  ex- 
erted some  influence. 

''Of  course  the  signers  of  the  Declaration  derived  this  maxim  di- 
rectly from  France,  and  indirectly  from  Rome.  But  as  a  working 
principle  it  was  not  new  to  America  at  that  time.  It  had  been  followed, 
more  or  less  consciously,  for  a  century  and  a  half.  Neither  democracy 
nor  democratic  theory  is  born  in  a  day.  John  Wise  might  have  served 
as  tutor  to  the  signers  of  the  Declaration  quite  as  well  as  John  Locke. 

'Address  of  Talcott  H.  Russell,  Philadelphia,  Feb.  23,  1900. 


88  DEMOCRACY    IN    THE    CHURCH 

more  created  a  state  by  their  compact  in  the  Mayflower's 
cabin  than  they  had  created  a  church  by  their  covenant, 
before  leaving  England.  The  state  existed  before  the  com- 
pact, the  church  before  the  covenant,  though  these  made 
church  and  state  for  the  first  time  visible.  But  only  on  this 
principle  was  the  initiation  of  their  government  possible. 

Still  further,  the  state  which  they  contemplated,  if  we 
may  judge  from  what  followed  later  at  Plymouth,  as  in  the 
other  English  colonies,  was  to  be  a  representative  govern- 
ment.^ This  principle  and  practice  of  representation  their 
English  training  supplied.^  Through  lack  of  it  the  democ- 
racy of  the  ancient  Greek  state  had  been  hmited  to  a  single 
community. 

With  these  principles,  to  become  self-conscious  in  the 
coming  years,  the  American  State  was  germinally  complete. 
It  already  existed  in  the  Plymouth  government  thus  con- 
stituted, as  the  tree  exists  in  the  seed.  Nothing  further  was 
needed  but  the  conditions  for  its  proper  expansion  and  de- 
velopment. Without  realizing  it,  the  Pilgrims  had  achieved, 
at  a  stroke,  an  immense  advance  in  the  theory  and  practice 
of  government.  English  training  suppHed  the  representative 
principle.  The  realities  of  their  church  Hfe  supplied  the 
legal  fictions  which  made  possible  the  institution  of  a 
general  government  de  novo.  Thus  it  does  not  seem  too 
much  to  say  that  modern  democracy^  of  the  indirect  type, 

^  Representation  was  adopted  by  Massachusetts  in  1634,  and  by 
Plymouth  in  1638,  though  for  many  years  the  freemen  in  each  colony 
were  required  to  meet  annually  in  a  court  of  election.  Goodwin,  The 
Pilgrim  Republic^  403  f. 

'C/.  Lieber,  Ci'vil  Liberty  and  Self  Government,  3d  ed.  Phila., 
188 1,  164;  Fiske,  Civil  Gov't,  in  the  U.  5.,  40  ff. 

'In  our  use  of  terms  we  have  followed  Bruntschli,  Theory  of  the 
State,  2nd  Eng.  ed.,  Oxford,  1895. 


A  DEMOCRATIC  STATE  AND  CHURCH    89 

as  distinguished  from  the  direct  democracy  of  the  ancients, 
has  England  for  its  mother  and  the  Congregational  Church 
for  its  father. 

If  this  statement  appears  extreme,  we  point  to  the  fact 
that  none  of  the  English  settlements  in  the  central  and 
southern  states  attempted  the  initiation  of  a  general  gov- 
ernment. Nor,  in  all  probability,  could  they  have  done  so, 
had  occasion  required.  They  had  the  same  English  train- 
ing, but  they  lacked  the  same  ecclesiastical  discipline.  We 
point  to  the  further  fact  that  most  of  the  other  colonies  in 
New  England,  having  this  ecclesiastical  discipUne  of  Congre- 
gationalism (at  least  after  reaching  America),  were  able  to 
form,  and  did  form,  governments  for  themselves.  How  far 
this  was  due  to  the  example  of  Plymouth,  it  is  impossible 
to  say.  But  we  find  them,  in  each  instance,  following  the 
same  fundamental  principles. 

The  Connecticut  settlement  seems  to  have  been  largely 
a  revolt  against  the  aristocratic  tendencies  in  Massachu- 
setts, both  in  church  and  state. ^  After  a  year  of  Massachu- 
setts tutelage,  the  separate  towns  of  the  new  colony  came 
together  in  a  General  Court,  with  elected  representatives. 
At  the  opening  session  of  the  Court,  in  1638,  Mr.  Hooker 
preached  a  powerful  sermon  in  which  he  maintained: 
"I.  That  the  choice  of  public  magistrates  belongs  unto  the 
people  by  God's  own  allowance.  II.  The  privilege  of  elec- 
tion, which  belongs  to  the  people,  therefore  must  not  be 
exercised  according  to  their  humors,  but  according  to  the 
blessed  will  and  law  of  God.  III.  They  who  have  the 
power  to  appoint  officers  and  magistrates,  it  is  in  their 
power  also  to  set  the  bounds  and  limitations  of  the  power 

^  See  correspondence  of  Hooker  and  Winthrop  in  G.  L.  Walker, 
Thomas  Hooker,  121. 


90  DEMOCRACY    IN    THE     CHURCH 

and  place  unto  which  they  call  them."  He  gives  the  fol- 
lowing reasons:  "i.  Because  the  foundation  of  authority  is 
laid,  firstly,  in  the  free  consent  of  the  people.  2.  Because, 
by  a  free  choice,  the  hearts  of  the  people  will  be  more 
inclined  to  the  love  of  the  persons  [chosen]  and  more  ready 
to  yield  [obedience].  3.  Because  of  that  duty  and  engage- 
ment of  the  people."^  The  result  was  the  Fundamental 
Orders  of  Connecticut,  adopted  1639,  which  John  Fiske 
has  called  "the  first  written  constitution  known  to  history 
that  created  a  government."^ 

Civil  compacts  were  drawn  up  at  Providence  and  Rhode 
Island  in  1638,  which  seem  to  show  the  influence  of  the 
Plymouth  model.  Thus  in  the  latter,  "We  whose  names  are 
underwritten  do  here  solemnly,  in  the  presence  of  Jehovah, 

^Id.  125. 

^Beginnings  of  Nenv  England,  ed.  1898,  p.  136.  The  preamble  is 
as  follows :  "  Forasmuch  as  it  hath  pleased  the  Almighty  God  by  the 
wise  disposition  of  his  divine  prudence  so  to  order  and  dispose  of 
things  that  we  the  inhabitants  of  Windsor,  Hartford  and  Wethersfield 
are  now  cohabiting  and  dwelling  in  and  upon  the  river  of  Connecticut 
and  the  lands  thereunto  adjoining  ;  and  well  knowing  that  where  a  peo- 
ple are  gathered  together  the  word  of  God  requires  that  to  maintain 
the  peace  and  union  of  such  a  people  there  should  be  an  orderly  and 
decent  government  established  according  to  God,  to  order  and  dispose 
of  the  affairs  of  the  people  at  all  seasons  as  occasion  shall  require  ;  do 
therefore  associate  and  conjoin  ourselves  to  be  as  one  public  state  or 
commonwealth  ;  and  do,  for  ourselves  and  our  successors  and  such  as 
shall  be  adjoined  to  us  at  any  time  hereafter,  enter  into  combination  and 
confederation  together,  to  maintain  and  preserve  the  liberty  and  purity  of 
the  gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  which  we  now  profess,  as  also  the  disci- 
pline of  the  churches,  which  according  to  the  truth  of  the  said  gospel 
is  now  practiced  amongst  us  ;  as  also  in  our  civil  affairs  to  be  guided 
and  governed  according  to  such  laws,  rules,  orders  and  decrees,  as 
shall  be  made,  ordered  and  decreed,  as  followeth."  H.  W.  Preston, 
Documents  Illustrati've  of  Am.  Hist.,  78. 


A  DEMOCRATIC  STATE  AND  CHURCH    9 1 

incorporate  ourselves  into  a  body  politic,  and,  as  he  shall 
help,  will  submit  our  persons,  lives,  and  estates  unto  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  King  of  Kings  and  Lord  of  Lords, 
and  to  all  those  perfect  and  most  absolute  law^s  of  his  given 
us  in  his  holy  w^ord  of  truth,  to  be  guided  and  judged 
thereby."^  This  political  experiment  is  interesting  from  its 
explicit  democracy.  Thus  in  1641  it  was  "ordered,  and 
unanimously  agreed  upon,  that  the  government  which  this 
body  pohtic  doth  attend  unto  in  this  Island,  and  the  juris- 
diction thereof  in  favor  of  our  prince,  is  a  Democracy,  or 
popular  government."^  The  preamble  of  the  code  adopted 
by  the  united  plantations  in  1647  declares  "that  the  form 
of  government  established  in  Providence  Plantations  is 
Democratical;  that  is  to  say,  a  government  held  by  the 
free  and  voluntary  consent  of  all  or  the  greater  part  of  the 
free  inhabitants."  It  closes  thus:  "And  now  to  the  end  that 
we  may  give,  each  to  other  ...  as  good  and  hopeful 
assurance  as  we  are  able,  touching  each  man's  peaceable 
and  quiet  enjoyment  of  his  lawful  right  and  liberty,  we  do 
agree  unto,  and  .  .  .  enact,  estabhsh  and  confirm,  these 
orders  following."^ 

The  action  of  New  Haven  in  1638,  though  pecuHar  in 
its  use  of  Scripture  as  a  model  for  civil  government  and  the 
consequent  theocracy,  involved  the  right  of  the  people,  as 
Davenport  put  it,  "to  cast  themselves  into  that  mould  and 
form  of  commonwealth  which  appeared  best  for  them  in 
reference  to  the  securing  the  peace  and  peaceable  enjoy- 
ment of  all  Christ's  ordinances  in  the  Church."^  The 
several  towns  organized  independently,  on  the  model  of  the 

*  Newman,  The  Baptists,  98:  cf.  p.  74  for  Providence. 

2  Id.  99  ff. 

'L.  Bacon,  Historical  Discourses,  22. 


92  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE     CHURCH 

church  covenant,^  but  united  in  a  general  colony  government 
in  1643. 

These  colonies  continued  to  govern  themselves  under  a 
representative  system,  selecting  their  own  officers  and  legis- 
lature, and  making  and  administering  their  own  laws. 
Their  governments  (with  the  exception  of  Plymouth  and 
New  Haven)  were  confirmed  from  time  to  time  by  royal 
charter.  But  how  little  the  royal  sanction  was  necessary  is 
seen  from  the  fact  that  they  continued  practically  without 
change  after  the  Revolution,  that  of  Connecticut  until 
1818,  and  that  of  Rhode  Island  until  1842.  The  power  of 
the  king  had  greater  weight  in  the  "charter  colonies," 
where  a  representative  democracy  was  limited  by  an  ap- 
pointed governor,  etc.  The  Revolution  brought  the  com- 
plete democratizing  of  such  governments.  And  the  direct 
democracy  of  New  England  local  government  has  since 
been  constantly  gaining  ground,  south  and  west.  The 
Constitution  of  the  United  States  need  not  detain  us, 
as  it  was  simply  a  logical  extension  of  the  representative 
democracy  of  the  states  to  cover  a  wider  area.^  However 
bold  the  experiment  and  delicate  the  adjustments,  the 
fundamental  principles  of  our  republican  government 
were  already  in  statu,  many  years  before  the  Constitution 
was  framed. 

We  note  that  from  the  very  beginning  a  difference 
emerges  between  the  democracy  of  the  State  and  the 
democracy  of  the  Church.  The  Congregational  church  is 
the  market  democracy  of  the  single  town,  governing  by  an 

*  For  the  Guilford  civil  compact,  formed  on  shipboard,  see  Bur- 
rage,  The  Church  Covenant  Idea,  94. 

'^Bruntschli,  Theory  of  the  State,  473.  Cf.  Lieber,  Civil  Liberty 
and  Self  Government,  258. 


A  DEMOCRATIC  STATE  AND  CHURCH    93 

assembly  of  all  the  electors  to  discuss  and  show  hands.  It 
is,  in  a  larger  sense,  the  aggregation  of  such  small  self-gov- 
erning societies.  There  is  no  representative  system  by 
w^hich  the  churches  become  parts  of  a  larger  governing 
body.  Even  to-day,  vv^hile  the  representative  system  is  used 
in  our  church  associations,  the  bodies  so  created  do  not 
govern.  Why  has  the  Church  continued  to  be  a  direct 
democracy,  grow^ing  more  direct,  if  anything,  rather  than 
less,  while  the  State,  keeping  the  direct  democracy  in  the 
township  as  part  of  its  system,  has  developed  along  the 
lines  of  an  indirect  democracy  or  republic  ? 

Developed  American  democracy  rests  on  two  truths, — 
one  theoretical,  the  other  practical — first,  that  the  rights 
and  powers  of  government  reside  in  the  individual  citizens; 
second,  that  society  will  be  better  governed  by  allowing 
individuals  as  far  as  possible  to  govern  themselves.  The 
active  participation  of  all  citizens  in  the  affairs  of  the  gov- 
ernment generates  knowledge,  capacity  and  puWic  spirit. 
Our  government  is,  as  far  as  possible,  distributed,  rather 
than  centralized  as  in  France,  because  we  thus  bring  out 
the  individual  by  putting  on  him  a  certain  responsibility 
for  the  government. 

The  American  system  may  be  said  to  be  this,  in  theory. 
The  township  governs  itself,  by  the  town  meeting  in  which 
all  citizens  participate.  The  county,  representing  the  col- 
lective body  of  citizens,  handles  such  matters  as  demand 
collective  action.  So  the  state,  for  a  wider  sphere.  And  so 
the  nation,  for  the  widest  sphere  of  collective  action.  The 
nation  handles  such  matters,  and  only  such  matters,  as 
concern  the  citizens  of  the  whole  nation,  or  the  states 
collectively.  It  leaves  the  self-government  of  the  state 
practically  unimpaired.    The  state  leaves   the  self-govern- 


94  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE     CHURCH 

ment  of  the  town  or  county  unimpaired  within  its 
own  sphere.^ 

The  democratic  church  is  built  upon  the  same  two 
truths,  though  somewhat  differently  expressed.  The 
"power  of  the  keys"  is  given  by  Christ  into  the  hands  of 
the  church  members.  The  right  and  power  in  church  gov- 
ernment, in  which  each  member  shares,  is  delegated  by 
Christ,  and  not  residual,  but  otherwise  it  is  similar  to  the 
right  and  power  of  the  citizen  in  civil  government.  And 
the  democratic  theory  of  the  church  rests  further  on  the 
great  Christian  truth  that  the  best  way  to  make  the  indi- 
vidual feel  the  responsibility  of  church  citizenship  and  all 
it  involves  is  give  him  power  and  expect  him  to  use  it. 
The  local  church  is  therefore  self-governing,  like  the 
New  England  township.  The  two  are  very  similar.  In 
fact  the  presence  of  the  township  governments  probably 
acted  to  break  down  certain  aristocratic  tendencies  in  the 
Congregational  churches,  at  least  in  Massachusetts. 

Now  if  the  local  churches  should  come  together  in  a 
representative  body,  this  body  would  have  three  possible 
functions,  on  the  analogy  of  our  civil  government, — legis- 
lative, judicial  and  administrative.  Let  us  take  these  up  in 
order. 

I.  Legislative. — Taking  legislation  in  the  strict  sense, 
only  two  spheres  are  conceivably  open  to  a  church  body 
claiming  this  function, — belief  and  conduct.  Protestan- 
tism makes  the  Bible  the  rule  of  faith  and  practice.    The 

iThe  American  system  is  of  course  far  from  uniform,  and  the  per- 
fectness  of  what  may  be  called  the  American  theory  is  marred  by  these 
two  facts,  among  many,  {a)  the  growth  of  cities,  whose  government  is 
necessarily  representative,  and  yet  with  no  training  school,  in  the  ward, 
corresponding  to  the  self-governing  township;  {b)  the  tendency  of 
both  state  and  national  bodies  to  encroach  beyond  their  proper  sphere. 


A     DEMOCRATIC     STATE     AND     CHURCH         95 

Bible  can  never  be  superseded,  for  Christianity  is  a  his- 
torical religion,  and  if  you  take  away  the  historical  Christ 
it  hangs  in  the  air.  The  Holy  Scriptures,  which  center 
about  His  person,  are  the  fundamental  constitution  of  the 
Christian  Church.  Does  the  possession  of  this  constitu- 
tion leave  any  field  for  further  legislation  ?  Let  us  look 
first  at  the  matter  of  belief.  The  Bible  is  not  a  text-book 
of  systematic  theology.  It  needs  interpretation  and  rational 
amplification.  Christians  must  have  a  consensus  of  inter- 
pretation, in  each  age,  if  they  are  to  walk  together.  They 
must  have  a  body  of  theology,  and  this  must  be  summa- 
rized in  a  creed.  Legislation  would  consist  in  formulating 
this  creed  as  binding  on  the  churches,  or  at  least  on  those 
appointed  to  preach  and  teach.  This  has  been  constantly 
attempted,  and  with  what  success?  The  object  of  such 
legislation  is  to  perpetuate  the  truth  as  so  interpreted. 
But  human  interpretations  and  formulations  are  never 
final.  Within  a  longer  or  shorter  period  the  creed  ceases 
to  represent  the  inteUigent  thought  of  the  age.  Now  let 
us  suppose  that  a  minister  has  given  his  assent  to  this  creed 
of  a  former  generation,  which  for  him  as  for  others  begins 
to  be  outgrown.  He  faces  a  dilemma.  Either  he  must 
leave  the  denomination,  a  course  which,  if  generally  fol- 
lowed, not  only  lessens  the  chance  for  creed-revision  but 
saps  the  intellectual  vitality  of  the  churches  concerned. 
Or  else  he  must  stay  inside  until  some  change  is  made, 
and  meanwhile  continue  to  assent  to  what  he  no  longer 
believes.  This  not  only  deadens  the  conscience,  but  de- 
feats the  very  object  of  such  legislation.  In  fact  a  binding 
creed  has  never  proved  an  adequate  barrier  against  heresy. 
There  seems  to  be  only  one  escape  from  this  dilemma,  and 
that  is  to  make  the  creed  merely  a  witness  to  the  faith  of 


96  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE     CHURCH 

the  churches,  subject  to  change  as  the  consensus  of  inter- 
pretation changes.  This  has  been  the  method  followed  by 
the  congregational  bodies.  It  cannot  be  called  legislation.^ 
The  same  is  true  of  a  consensus  of  rules  for  Christian 
conduct.  The  Bible  states  the  fundamental  principles  of 
ethics,  but  it  does  not  attempt  to  cover  every  case  of  right 
and  wrong  which  may  arise.  Church  legislatures  have 
tried  to  supplement  the  Bible  by  making  rules  for  the  con- 
duct of  the  membership,  in  the  matter  of  questionable 
amusements  for  instance.  But  experience  shows  that,  out- 
side the  limits  of  pure  morals,  standards  of  conduct  vary, 
not  only  from  age  to  age,  but  for  different  sections  of  the 
country,  for  different  individuals  and  for  different  circum- 
stances. This  truth  is  as  old  as  the  New  Testament.  And 
experience  further  shows  that  few  persons  will  continue 
to  obey  a  rule  that  no  longer  represents  their  standard  of 
living.  When  the  standard  on  the  church  statute-book 
ceases  to  be  the  standard  of  a  particular  member,  he  is  con- 
fronted with  a  dilemma  somewhat  similar  to  the  last. 
Either  he  must  leave  the  body,  or  he  must  deliberately 
break  its  laws.  The  net  result  is  a  loss  of  members,  pres- 
ent or  prospective,  a  weakening  of  the  moral  fiber  of  the 
Church  and  a  defeat  of  the  object  for  which  the  rule  was 
made.  There  are  two  ways  of  escaping  this  dilemm^. 
Either  the  standard  must  be  made  so  broad  that  all  indi- 
viduals and  all  communities  can  hold  to  it,  which  means, 
practically,  a  return  to  the  Bible  as  the  sole  standard.  Or 
the  standard,  as  in  the  case  of  doubtful  amusements,  must 

^  Even  a  local  church  cannot  make  a  creed  binding  on  the  indi- 
vidual members  without  injury.  The  Congregational  churches  have 
attempted  this  in  their  reaction  against  Unitarianism,  but  they  are 
gradually  returning  to  their  senses  and  their  principles. 


A  DEMOCRATIC  STATE  AND  CHURCH    97 

be  kept  a  general  standard  merely,  an  ideal  before  the 
membership,  rather  than  a  binding  rule.  Neither  can  be 
called  legislation. 

Taking  a  considerable  period  into  view,  the  practical 
difficulties  of  church  legislation  seem  insuperable ;  which 
suggests  that  it  was  never  intended  in  Christianity,  that  it 
is  out  of  harmony  with  its  spirit  and  its  principles,  as  re- 
flected in  the  New  Testament.  We  may  ask  if  the  attempt 
to  legislate  for  the  individual  mind  and  conscience  is  not  a 
species  of  usurpation.  Christ  gave  no  such  function  to 
His  church.  The  only  words  which  can  be  quoted  in  sup- 
port of  such  a  practice  are  those  as  to  binding  and  loosing, 
in  the  sense  of  forbid  and  permit.  But  we  have  seen  that 
this  promise  is  to  be  interpreted  in  the  Hght  of  the  sending 
of  the  Spirit,  the  presence  of  Christ  in  the  life  of  each 
believer.  Christ  will  lead  him  into  all  the  truth.  He  will 
show  him  who  seeks  this  guidance  what  is  right  and  what 
is  wrong.  So  a  company  of  abiding  men  may  claim  Christ's 
authority  for  their  standards  of  right  and  wrong,  of  truth 
and  error.  But  this  is  not  legislation.  They  simply  hold 
before  each  member  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  as  they 
have  interpreted  it.  That  standard  is  binding  upon  the 
member,  not  because  it  is  held  by  his  brethren,  but  because 
it  is  right,  because  it  comes  to  his  conscience  as  a  "Thou 
shalt "  of  the  Lord  Himself.  He  alone  is  Lord  of  the  mind 
and  conscience. 

Christianity  is  not  merely  a  historical  faith ;  it  is  a  living 
faith.  We  know  Christ  through  History,  but  we  know 
Him  also  in  our  own  hearts.  He  laid  down  no  specific  rules 
in  the  gospels,  because  this  was  unnecessary.  He  would 
still  be  the  Lawgiver,  though  unseen  of  men.  The  Spirit 
would  take  of  the  things  of  His  and  would  declare  them 


98  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE     CHURCH 

unto  men.  The  continued  leadership  of  His  Spirit  made 
any  provision  for  church  legislation  unnecessary. 

If  we  could  leave  out  the  abiding  Christ,  the  Church 
would  become  merely  a  body  of  Christians,  representing  in 
the  world  an  absent  Lord.  The  powers  belonging  to 
church  citizens  are  so  far  inherent,  as  in  the  State.  There 
is  no  theoretical  reason  why  they  may  not  be  passed  over, 
by  a  representative  system,  to  the  local  church  or  a  general 
body,  which  thus  has  the  right  to  formulate  binding  creeds 
and  rules.  But  the  fact  of  Christ  as  present  Sovereign 
introduces  an  essential  difference  between  citizenship  in 
Church  and  State.  Christianity,  as  we  have  seen,  is  a 
democracy  because  it  is  a  monarchy.  Hence  the  analogy  of 
the  American  state  will  not  serve  us.  In  the  Church  the 
powers  of  the  citizen  are  not  inherent ;  they  are  themselves 
directly  delegated  by  Christ.  They  are  the  authority  Christ 
gives  to  those  who  are  one  with  Him.  The  Christian 
cannot  do  as  he  pleases,  but  only  as  Christ  pleases.  All  the 
power  he  has,  in  the  Church  or  out  of  it,  may  be  summed 
up  in  the  mutual  responsibility  of  the  believer  and  Christ, 
the  obligation  of  the  beHever  to  do  what  Christ  wills,  and 
the  obligation  of  Christ  to  guide  and  strengthen  the  believer 
as  He  has  promised.  This  mutual  responsibility  is  personal, 
and  in  the  nature  of  the  case  no  part  of  it  can  be  delegated 
to  others.  If  an  individual  or  a  body  tries  to  lay  down  for 
others  the  law  of  belief  and  conduct,  they  are  usurping 
Christ's  place  as  Master  of  the  human  soul. 

2.  Judicial. —  A  representative  body  might  judge  be- 
tween member  and  member,  between  member  and  church, 
between  church  and  church.  Differences  arise  in  the 
Church  of  Christ  which  must  be  settled  in  some  way.  But 
does  this  fact  involve  a  body  with  judicial  functions?  There 


A     DEMOCRATIC     STATE     AND     CHURCH         99 

is  nothing  in  Christ's  words  as  to  the  power  of  the  keys 
which  can  be  construed  as  giving  judicial  functions  to  the 
Church.  The  acts  of  the  Church  are  declared  to  have  a 
divine  sanction,  simply  because  men  who  have  "the  Mind 
of  Christ"  may  be  supposed  to  be  in  harmony  with  the 
Divine  will.  He  gives  but  a  single  example  of  the  course 
the  church  is  to  follow  when  offenses  come.  But  that 
example  is  full  of  instruction.  To  withdraw  fellowship, 
after  working  to  the  utmost  the  law  of  brotherHness,  is  the 
act  of  a  family.  It  is  very  far  from  being  the  act  of  a  law- 
court.  The  authority  Christ  gives  to  a  man  over  his  fel- 
lows, or  to  a  collective  body  over  its  members,  is  simply 
moral.  Their  word  will  command  assent  so  far  as  there  is 
enlightened  reason  in  it,  and  the  spirit  of  Christ  in  it,  and 
character  back  of  it.  For  it  will  find  an  echo  in  the  en- 
lightened reason  and  conscience  of  those  to  whom  it  applies, 
who  also  have  the  spirit  of  Christ,  or  are  assumed  to  have. 
The  Congregational  system  of  councils  is  founded  on  this 
principle.  The  council  has  no  authority  per  se.  But  when 
managed  in  a  Christian  spirit,  it  has  been  remarkably  effi- 
cient in  removing  misunderstandings,  reconciling  differences 
and  righting  wrongs. 

On  the  contrary,  the  church  courts,  under  a  representa- 
tive system,  tend  to  set  up  human  tribunals  between  the 
soul  and  Christ.  They  tend  to  introduce  into  the  Church 
the  passion,  the  special  pleading,  the  wire-pulling  of  human 
politics.  We  see  charges  and  trials,  writs  and  appeals,  and 
it  seems  a  strange  commentary,  it  seems  a  travesty,  on  the 
Christian  law  of  brotherliness.  It  is  bad  enough  for  brother 
to  go  to  law  with  brother  in  the  civil  courts,  without 
adding  church  courts  also.  Even  as  a  practical  measure, 
anything  in  the  shape  of  a  judicial  decree  in  the  Church 


lOO       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

does  more  harm  than  good.  No  doubt  Christ  is  present 
with  the  judicial  body  on  the  representative  system.  For 
He  is  always  present  with  the  two  or  three  gathered  in  His 
name.  But  this  body's  decisions  as  such  have  no  divine 
authority.  If  compliance  with  them  is  obtained  simply  by 
compulsion  or  a  show  of  force,  it  is  valueless.  If  compliance 
is  obtained  because  the  decisions  are  right  and  Christian, 
the  same  result  would  have  been  reached  without  this 
judicial  machinery.  In  the  last  analysis,  moral  authority  is 
the  only  authority  of  any  value  in  the  Church.  It  is  the 
only  authority  recognized  by  Christ.  And  because  this  is 
so  the  Church  can  have  no  judicial  functions  like  those  of 
the  State. 

3.  Administrative. —  So  far  it  would  seem  that  there  are 
essential  differences  between  Church  and  State.  The  re- 
fusal of  the  congregational  churches  to  set  up  general 
bodies  with  legislative  and  judicial  functions  was  in  harmony 
with  Scripture  and  Reason,  since  with  a  living  Lord  these 
functions  have  no  place  in  the  Church  at  all.  There 
remains  the  possible  administrative  function  of  a  represen- 
tative body.  As  the  churches  attempt  to  carry  out  the 
work  of  Christ  and  build  His  Kingdom,  many  matters  arise 
that  concern  the  churches  as  a  whole,  that  seem  to  demand 
collective  action.  The  training,  ordination  and  standing  of 
ministers,  and  the  fitting  of  ministers  to  churches ;  the 
supervision  of  weak  churches ;  the  increasing  missionary 
work  of  the  churches  at  home  and  abroad, —  all  these  are 
matters  of  common  concern.    How  are  they  to  be  handled? 

If  the  Church  were  a  merely  human  organization,  the 
government  of  the  State  would  seem  to  offer  a  suggestive 
model.  We  should  have  a  system  of  administrative  bodies, 
roughly  parallel  to  those  of  the  State,  though  with  some 


A     DEMOCRATIC    STATE     AND     CHURCH       lOI 

necessary  dififerences.  Every  such  body  would  represent  the 
churches,  would  be  the  churches  (or  the  citizens  of  the 
churches)  acting  together.  The  self-government  of  the 
churches  would  be  left  unimpaired,  for  the  general  bodies 
would  confine  themselves  to  getting  the  common  work 
done.  Such  a  system  would,  in  a  practical  way,  realize  the 
unity  of  the  Church  and  promote  its  efficiency. 

Let  us  test  such  a  scheme,  as  before,  in  the  light  of 
Christ's  abiding.  We  have  seen,  in  His  teachings,  that  the 
Church  is  primarily  a  corporation  for  doing  spiritual  business. 
It  is  chiefly  for  carrying  on  His  work  of  world-redemption 
that  Christ  empowers  His  followers.  This  power  is  not 
legal  but  practical,  and  furthermore  it  is  cumulative.  The 
more  followers  banded  together,  the  more  power.  If  one 
chases  a  thousand,  two  put,  not  two  thousand,  but  ten 
thousand  to  flight.  So  two  churches  banded  together  can 
do  more  than  the  sum  of  what  each  could  do  alone.  Two 
hundred  can  do  vastly  more  than  two.  Federation  seems 
to  be  essential  to  the  life  and  work  of  the  Church,  both  in 
the  local  congregation  and  in  a  larger  grouping. 

Here  then  is  a  case  where  the  rights  and  powers,  or  at 
least  the  practical  power,  of  the  Christian  may  be  delegated. 
The  believer  joins  with  other  beHevers  in  a  Christian 
church.  They  meet  and  act  together.  They  elect  officers 
to  serve  them  and  the  world  around  them.  Without  remit- 
ting his  own  personal  labors  for  the  building  of  the  King- 
dom, the  believer  has  begun  to  share  in  the  work  of  the 
larger  body  he  has  joined,  of  the  officers  he  has  chosen. 
This  church  in  turn  joins  with  others  in  common  work, 
work  which  no  one  of  them  could  do  alone.  The  only  con- 
ceivable way  of  doing  this  is  through  its  representatives, 
and  with  these  representatives  goes  the  power  of  the  whole 


I02       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

membership,  the  power  each  has  received  from  Christ  to 
make  the  world  His.  Anything  that  concerns  the  churches 
in  their  common  work  is  the  proper  subject  for  a  common 
administrative  body.  The  only  criterion  which  may  be 
applied  to  such  a  body  is  that  of  efficiency.  For  whatever 
makes  the  churches  more  efficient  in  the  common  work  of 
Christ  is  eminently  Christian.  It  is  carrying  out  the  pur- 
pose Christ  has  had  in  founding  a  Church  and  dwelling 
in  it. 

The  congregational  churches  have  held  aloof  from  an 
administrative  system.  And  this  apparently  because  they 
failed  to  distinguish  clearly  between  the  various  functions 
of  a  general  body ;  because  in  the  experiments  made  by 
them  and  others  the  general  bodies  claimed  other  functions 
besides  those  of  administration,  to  the  peril  of  the  churches. 
Administrative  functions  of  a  sort  have  crept  into  their  asso- 
ciations and  societies,  but  as  it  were  by  stealth.  The  idea 
of  delegated  power  has  been  lacking;  the  delegates  attended 
rather  as  chosen  individuals  than  as  representatives  carrying 
with  them  the  full  power  of  their  churches.  But  it  seems 
from  the  foregoing  discussion  that  this  sensitiveness  of  con- 
gregational churches  has  been  carried  too  far,  and  to  the 
loss  of  unity  and  efficiency.  If  we  bear  in  mind  that  legis- 
lation and  judicature  have  no  place  in  the  Church,  in  gen- 
eral bodies  or  anywhere  else,  the  liberties  of  the  churches 
are  entirely  safe.  For  general  bodies  to  decree  or  judge, 
on  a  purely  administrative  system,  would  amount  to  a 
human  and  unbiblical  usurpation.  They  have  no  taxing 
power,  no  law-courts  to  compel  obedience.  Thus  their 
power  to  do  harm  is  reduced  to  a  minimum.  They  are  not 
above  or  outside  of  the  churches.  They  are  simply  the 
churches  acting  together.    Their  power  to  do  good  is  as 


A     DEMOCRATIC     STATE     AND     CHURCH       IO3 

the  power  of  the  churches,  that  is,  as  the  good  will  and 
resources  of  the  Christian  constituency  they  represent. 

We  might  state  in  mathematical  terms  the  conclusion 
we  have  reached  from  this  brief  comparison  of  the  func- 
tions of  Church  and  State.  As  between  our  two  broad 
theories  of  church  poHty,  the  direct  democracy  of  associated 
powers  is  two-thirds  right  and  one-third  wrong ;  the  indi- 
rect democracy  of  delegated  powers  is  one-third  right  and 
two-thirds  wrong.  That  is,  the  congregational  churches 
have  made  the  mistake  of  not  setting  up  general  adminis- 
trative bodies.  But  beyond  this  there  are  fundamental  dif- 
ferences between  Church  and  State.  The  synodical  and 
episcopal  churches  have  made  the  mistake  of  giving  to  such 
administrative  bodies  legislative  and  judicial  functions. 
When  we  speak  of  right  and  wrong  and  of  mistakes,  it  is 
from  the  standpoint  of  Christ's  teachings, — His  direct  rule 
of  the  Church,  and  through  it. 


CHAPTER   VIII 

THE   BASIS  FOR    CHURCH    UNITY 

These  conclusions  are  of  great  importance  in  their 
bearing  on  the  question  of  Church  unity.  They  suggest 
a  reconciliation  between  two  theories  of  church  polity 
apparently  irreconcilable.  When  the  congregational 
churches  add  administrative  bodies,  and  when  the  synodi- 
cal  and  episcopal  churches  confine  such  bodies  to  functions 
purely  administrative,  both  have  reached,  as  a  common 
denominator,  what  we  make  bold  to  call  the  polity  of 
Christ,  His  way  of  church  life.  Let  us  look  at  this  matter 
in  some  of  its  practical  bearings.  The  reunion  of  a  divided 
Christendom  is  first  a  growing  unity  of  spirit  and  aim,  a 
mutual  understanding  and  charity.  But  it  is  ultimately  a 
question  of  polity.  Any  discussion  of  church  polity  today 
must  keep  in  view  this  hoped-for  organic  unity  of  the 
future. 

I.  A  reunion  of  Christendom  will  not  come  by  the 
method  of  Absorption,  which  has  been  proposed  by  various 
denominations  in  the  past.  "All  of  you  come  in  with  us, 
and  then  there  will  be  only  one  Church."  In  practice  this 
amounted  to  Attrition,  the  attempt  to  push  one's  own 
denomination,  at  the  expense  of  others,  until  the  others 
were  worn  down  and  extinguished.  But  the  other  denomi- 
nations have  refused  to  be  swallowed.  Few  of  them  show 
signs  of  wearing  down.    If  there  is  one  fact  which  emerges 

(104) 


THE     BASIS     FOR     CHURCH     UNITY  105 

from  the  history  of  the  past  fifty  years,  it  is  that  the  unity 
for  which  Christ  prayed  will  not  be  that  of  the  lion  and 
the  lamb,  where  the  lion  simply  swallowed  the  lamb.  No 
one  of  the  sects  is  Hke  unto  Aaron's  rod. 

II.  Any  reunion  must  be  inclusive  rather  than  exclusive. 
In  the  words  of  Dr.  Shields,  "a  true  church  unity  must 
include  all  existing  churches  within  its  scope.  Its  horizon 
must  be  as  wide  as  Christendom,  and  its  point  of  view 
must  be  taken  in  the  midst  of  the  churches  and  not  within 
the  narrow  pale  of  any  of  them.  Otherwise  we  shall  lose 
sight  of  large  portions  of  the  Christian  world,  or  only  seek 
to  unify  some  portions  against  the  others."  ^  But  the  at- 
tempt to  reach  a  consensus  of  all  the  existing  churches  in 
doctrine,  ritual  and  polity,  is  clearly  impossible.  The  Lam- 
beth Quadrilateral,  which  Dr.  Shields  so  strongly  recom- 
mended, is  a  case  in  point.  In  the  words  of  the  Chicago 
Declaration,  Christian  unity  can  be  restored  "only  by  the 
return  of  all  Christian  communions  to  the  principles  of 
unity  exemplified  by  the  undivided  CathoHc  Church  during 
the  first  ages  of  its  existence,  which  principles  we  believe 
to  be  the  substantial  deposit  of  Christian  faith  and  order 
committed  by  Christ  and  his  apostles  to  the  church  unto 
the  end  of  the  world,  and  therefore  incapable  of  com- 
promise or  surrender  by  those  who  have  been  ordained  to 
be  its  stewards  and  trustees  for  the  common  and  equal 
benefit  of  all  men."^  The  four  esfsentials,  as  amended  by 
the  Lambeth  Conference  and  adopted  by  the  Episcopal 
General  Convention  in  1892,  are  as  follows:  "  («)  The 
Holy  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  as  *  con- 

^C.  W.  Shields,  The  United  Church  of  the  U.  S.,  77. 
^C.  C.  Tiffany,  Hist,  of  the  Prof.  Episc.  Church  in  the  U.  S., 
558. 


I06       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

taining  all  things  necessary  to  salvation,'  and  as  being  the 
rule  and  ultimnte  standard  of  faith;  (b)  the  Apostles' 
Creed,  as  the  baptismal  symbol ;  and  the  Nicene  Creed, 
as  the  sufficient  statement  of  the  Christian  faith ;  (c)  the 
two  sacraments  ordained  by  Christ  himself,  baptism  and 
the  Supper  of  the  Lord,  ministered  with  unfaiHng  use  of 
Christ's  words  of  institution,  and  of  the  elements  ordained 
by  him;  (d)  the  historic  episcopate,  locally  adapted  in 
the  methods  of  its  administration  to  the  varying  needs  of 
the  nations  and  peoples  called  of  God  into  the  unity  of 
his  church."^ 

We  hesitate  to  criticize  these  proposals,  for  we  recog- 
nize the  catholic  spirit  in  which  they  were  put  forward  and 
the  commendable  movement  in  the  Episcopal  Church,  then 
and  since,  toward  a  larger  inclusiveness.  But  when  trans- 
lated into  practical  church  life,  only  the  first  could  find 
universal  acceptance  as  it  stands.  Many  bodies  deem  the 
Apostles'  and  Nicene  creeds  insufficient  as  a  statement  of 
doctrine.  The  same  may  be  said  of  the  clause  relating  to 
the  sacraments.  The  "historic  episcopate,"  however 
broadly  stated,  necessarily  involves  a  theory  of  the  Christian 
ministry  which  a  majority  of  the  American  churches  reject. 
The  Lambeth  Quadrilateral,  broad  as  it  is,  is  not  broad 
enough  to  serve  as  a  basis  for  the  reunion  of  the  American 
Church.  And  this  for  the  reason  that  its  "deposit"  theory 
of  Christian  truth  fails  to  do  justice  to  the  movements  in 
Christian  history  since  the  Council  of  Nicaea. 

in.  The  same  may  be  said  of  the  proposals  of  the  Dis- 
ciples of  Christ.  They  also  hold  to  a  "deposit"  theory,  in 
disregard  of  History,  only  the  deposit  ceased  with  the  close 
of  the  Apostohc  Age.  The  aim  of  this  denomination,  at 
1  Id.  s6o. 


THE     BASIS     FOR     CHURCH     UNITY  IO7 

its  best,  has  been  so  worthy,  that  here  again  we  hesitate  to 
criticize,  especially  as  Congregationalism  must  share  to 
some  extent  in  the  same  criticism.  Like  ourselves,  the 
Disciples  have  aimed  at  a  reunion  of  Christendom  through 
a  return,  universally  and  at  all  lengths,  to  the  church  of 
the  New  Testament.  But  this,  even  if  desirable,  is  not  for 
the  present  a  practicable  thing.  It  is  simply  the  Absorption 
theory  under  another  guise.  It  fails  to  do  justice  to  variant 
forms  of  doctrine,  ritual  and  polity  now  held  by  other  sin- 
cere Christians,  and  ignores  "the  ages  of  Christian  expe- 
rience and  providential  training  through  which  the  church 
has  passed  since  it  was  instituted  by  Christ  and  His 
Apostles."^ 

IV.  One  merit  in  the  Disciples'  propaganda  has  been 
their  attack  on  human  creeds,  as  divisive  and  fostering  the 
sectarian  spirit.  But  here,  we  beHeve,  they  have  missed  the 
real  point  at  issue.  Creeds  as  witnesses  to  belief  need  not  be 
divisive.  Division  comes  from  the  attempt  to  force  them  on 
believers.  And  the  trouble  extends  further  than  the  matter 
of  doctrine.  One  of  the  great  charges  to  be  brought  against 
the  theory  of  delegated  powers,  as  applied  to  legislation 
and  judicature,  is  that  it  has  marred  the  very  unity  of 
Christendom  which  it  was  designed  to  promote.  The 
synodical  and  episcopal  churches  have  simply  been  repeating 
the  error  of  the  CathoHc  System  in  the  Middle  Ages.  We 
are  far  from  laying  at  their  door  the  whole  responsibility 
for  143  Christian  sects  in  the  United  States,  following  the 
one  Master.  Ultra -Congregationalism  is  responsible  for 
some  of  them;  differences  in  race,  language  and  ante- 
cedents are  responsible  for  others;  unscriptural  literalness 
for  others,  and  the  Devil  for  others.  But  the  attempt  of 
^Shields,  op.  cit.,  122. 


I08       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

representative  bodies  to  assume  something  more  than  a 
moral  authority  must  bear  a  very  heavy  share. 

We  may  compare,  for  example,  two  bodies  of  churches 
in  many  ways  similar,  the  Congregational  and  what  may 
be  termed  the  main  stream  of  Presbyterianism.  The  former 
has  had  but  one  disruption,  and  is  at  present  represented  by 
two  bodies.  Orthodox  and  Unitarian,  still  kept  apart  by 
fundamental  differences  in  belief.  The  latter  has  had  at 
least  five  disruptions,  and  is  now  represented  by  four  bodies 
(if  we  include  all  the  streams  of  Presbyterianism  there  are 
twelve),  kept  apart  by  no  fundamental  differences  in  belief. 
Of  these  five  schisms,  we  may  leave  out  the  two  which 
concern  the  Cumberland  Presbyterians,  as  being  local 
rather  than  national,  and  also  the  sectional  split  in  i86i.^ 
But  in  the  schism  of  1741,  from  differences  growing  out 
of  the  Great  Awakening,  and  in  that  of  1837,  from  dif- 
ferences between  Old  School  and  New  School  Theology, 
the  controversy  was  quite  as  hot  in  New  England  among 
the  Congregational  churches.  In  New  England,  however, 
the  division  was  "merely  into  ways  of  thinking,  not  into 
sects."  ^  These  two  schisms  are  directly  traceable  to  the 
Presbyterian  system.  And  the  story  of  the  General  Assem- 
bhes  in  question  would  not  be  edifying  reading  for  a  pagan 
inquirer. 

In  the  many  Methodist  bodies  (seventeen  of  them)  we 
note  at  least  one  important  split  which  was  due  to  the 
system, —  the  Methodist  Protestant  Church,  organized  by 
reformers  who  had  been  expelled  as  disturbers  of  the  peace. 
The  spHt  in  the  United  Brethren  Church  was  caused  by  a 

^The  Congregational  ship  safely  rode  out  an  anti-slavery  storm  in 
1845.    L.  W.  Bacon,  The  Congregationalists,  215. 
^Id.  Hist,  of  Am,  Christianity,  172. 


THE     BASIS     FOR     CHURCH    UNITY  IO9 

disaffected  minority  who  claimed  the  revision  act  of  1885 
to  be  "unconstitutional,"  a  word  for  which  we  search  the 
Bible  in  vain. 

V.  These  instances  are  suggestive,  but  of  course  not 
conclusive.  The  Protestant  Episcopal  and  Roman  CathoHc 
Churches  have  shown  a  remarkable  centripetal  force.  But 
the  case  against  creed-making  and  judicial  bodies  is  stronger 
when  we  look  at  the  prospect  for  a  reunion  of  this  divided 
and  subdivided  Christendom.  This  compHcated  legislative 
and  judicial  machinery,  with  the  temper  which  it  fosters, 
is  the  great  wall  between  members  of  the  same  denomi- 
national household.  And  still  more  between  sects  which 
differ  in  organization,  doctrine,  etc.  Would  it  be  possible 
for  Methodists,  Presbyterians  and  EpiscopaHans  (not  to 
speak  of  Unitarians  and  Romanists,  Baptists  and  Lutherans) 
to  agree  on  a  working  "constitution"  for  a  united  Church? 
Could  a  union  be  consummated  by  the  high  contracting 
parties,  without  making  new  sects  out  of  the  minorities 
which  opposed  union  ?  Suppose  that  such  feats  of  states- 
manship and  diplomacy  might  be  achieved,  would  the 
liberties  of  the  several  churches  be  safe  ?  It  would  be  impos- 
sible for  a  representative  assembly  to  legislate  for  churches 
so  diverse,  without  abusing  its  power  in  the  interest  of  one 
of  the  parties.  This  has  been  the  history  of  church  legis- 
latures from  the  beginning,  where  strongly  diverse  elements 
were  represented.  We  should  be  likely  to  have  the  Council 
of  Ephesus  over  again,  every  few  years,  and  new  sects 
constantly  splitting  off  to  be  as  bad  as  the  old.  Predic- 
tions are  unsafe,  until  we  see  the  outcome  of  diplomatic 
attempts  at  union  in  AustraHa  and  Canada.  But  we  be- 
lieve that  a  union  there  or  anywhere,  to  be  permanent, 
must   recognize  the  congregational  principle  of  associated 


no  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE     CHURCH 

rather  than  delegated  powers,  in  the  spheres  we  are  now 
considering. 

VI.  The  demand  is  for  a  church  polity  that  shall  allow 
all  the  varieties  in  doctrine,  ritual  and  administration  found 
in  the  American  churches  to  exist  freely,  side  by  side, 
within  one  administrative  whole.  This  Congregationalism 
offers,  or  at  least  suggests.  The  Congregational  churches, 
with  the  same  general  form  of  government  as  Baptists  and 
Disciples,  have  not  carried  individualism  to  such  an  extreme. 
And  through  the  circumstances  of  their  history  they  have 
kept  a  larger  charity  and  a  better  historical  perspective. 
Certain  features  of  the  English  parish  system  were  perpetu- 
ated in  New  England.  The  church  in  any  community  was 
the  company  of  Christians  in  that  community.  In  a  town 
there  was  but  one  church,  and  the  towns  were  laid  ofi 
with  this  end  in  view.  However  arbitrary  at  times  the 
practice  may  have  been,  in  principle  no  professed  follower 
of  Jesus  Christ  was  excluded.  Members  might  differ  in 
their  views  of  doctrine,  polity  or  ordinance,  but  the  one 
church  embraced  all.  When  the  growth  of  population  in  a 
town  or  extreme  divisions  of  opinion  called  for  the  organiz- 
ing of  new  churches,  the  other  Christians  gave  them  the 
right  hand  of  fellowship.  The  organizing  of  a  new  church 
was  a  grave  step.  Though  a  group  of  Christians  might 
claim  the  right  to  take  it,  only  a  real  necessity  could  justify 
them  in  so  doing.  But  the  new  church  so  organized,  if  it 
preserved  the  fundamentals  of  Christianity,  might  order  its 
creed  or  its  worship  as  it  would.  This  did  not  affect  its 
place  in  the  sisterhood  of  churches,  the  place  of  its  mem- 
bers in  the  brotherhood  of  the  Church.  Congregationalism 
has  always  cherished  this  ideal  of  church  relationships, 
though  often  falling  short  of  it  in  practice. 


THE     BASIS    FOR     CHURCH     UNITY  III 

So  Congregationalism,  as  a  form  of  government,  offers 
this  as  a  solution  of  the  problem  of  Church  unity :  one 
church  in  a  town,  to  include  all  the  Christians  in  that 
town,  of  all  shades  of  belief  and  opinion  and  preference. 
This  implies  the  duty  of  individuals  and  parties  in  any  com- 
munity to  accept,  loyally  and  fraternally,  the  judgment  of 
the  whole,  even  when  it  contravenes  their  own.  It  imphes 
also  the  duty  of  the  whole  to  respect  the  rights  of  a  minor- 
ity. If  one  church  in  a  town  is  impossible,  owing  to  size  of 
population,  antecedent  differences  or  extreme  divergence 
of  opinion,  let  there  be  several  churches,  bound  together 
by  common  sympathies  and  coirlmon  work,  yet  each  free  to 
shape  its  government  and  its  ordinances  and  its  ritual  and 
its  discipline  as  Christ  gives  it  Hght.  A  brotherhood  of 
churches  through  city  and  county  and  state  and  nation, 
working  together  under  the  common  Lord,  mutually  help- 
ful but  none  lording  it  over  any,  agreeing  to  differ  until 
they  can  see  eye  to  eye.  These  churches  bound  together 
by  a  representative  system,  "locally  adapted  in  the  methods 
of  its  administration  to  the  varying  needs  of  the  peoples 
called  of  God  into  the  unity  of  His  Church." 

Some  Christians  insist  on  an  elaborate  ritual.  And  they 
are  right,  if  their  rehgion  is  the  richer  for  it.  If  there  are 
enough  Hke-minded,  let  them  be  a  church  and  have  their 
ritual  service.  But  if  the  rest  of  the  community  is  not  hke- 
minded,  is  there  any  reason  why  these  should  refuse  fellow- 
ship with  the  rest,  any  reason  why  they  should  go  to  make 
a  different  Body  of  Christ  from  the  church  around  the 
corner  which  finds  Moody-and-Sankey  hymns  more  con- 
genial to  its  life  ?  Some  Christians  insist  on  particular 
points  of  doctrine,  others  on  immersion,  others  on  rigid  dis- 
cipline.   Let  them  do  so.    To  their  own  Lord  they  stand 


112       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

or  fall.  If  they  consider  these  things  essential  and  cannot 
bring  all  the  brethren  in  that  town  to  their  way  of  thinking, 
let  them  have  their  separate  churches.  A  large  city,  espe- 
cially, will  allow  room  for  various  types  of  organized  church 
life,  where  the  conditions  in  a  small  village  would  have 
compelled  more  mutual  sacrifice.  Let  them  have  their 
separate  churches ;  they  may  claim  the  right  to  form  them. 
Only  why,  in  the  name  of  common  sense  and  Christian 
charity,  is  it  necessary  for  these  separate  churches  to  refuse 
fellowship,  close  working  fellowship,  with  the  rest  ?  Is 
Christ  divided  ?  Are  we  not  all  His  Body  ?  Get  up  an 
immersion  association,  if  you  Hke,  or  an  infant-damnation 
league,  to  represent  all  who  hold  these  views.  Have  con- 
ventions and  officers  and  a  propaganda  and  a  party  organ. 
But  is  it  Christian  to  have  an  immersion  Church  and  a 
correct-doctrine  Church,  spHtting  Christendom  into  frag- 
ments, and  running  their  lines  of  cleavage  and  competition 
through  every  country  village  and  pioneer  settlement  ? 

There  is  nothing  incompatible  in  a  church  with  a  ritual 
service  and  one  with  the  simplest  spontaneity  in  its  worship 
existing  side  by  side  and  cooperating  as  brothers  in  the 
common  work  of  Christ.  Or  a  church  that  follows  adult 
immersion  and  one  that  holds  to  another  form  of  baptism 
under  the  covenant  idea.  Instances  might  be  given  from 
Congregationalism  and  from  the  Episcopal  Church  in  Eng- 
land and  America  of  congregations  quite  as  diverse  living 
and  working  as  parts  of  one  body.  That  is,  division  may 
be  into  schools  rather  than  into  sects.  There  need  be  no 
Methodist  churches  today  if  the  Establishment  in  England 
and  America  had  cultivated  a  larger  inclusiveness.  The 
same  has  been  said  of  the  Unitarian  schism  in  New  Eng- 
land.   All  that  is  really  necessary  for  brotherly  cooperation 


THE    BASIS     FOR     CHURCH     UNITY  II 3 

as  parts  of  one  body  is  mutual  respect  and  charity,  an 
acknowledgement  of  one  another's  discipleship  to  the  com- 
mon Master. 

These  proposals  involve  the  congregationalizing  of  the 
churches  of  America  in  their  relations  with  each  other. 
If  the  Church  of  Christ  in  America  is  ever  to  be  one,  it 
must  be  as  a  brotherhood  of  self-governing  churches,  held 
together  by  sympathy  and  common  work,  not  by  legislative 
and  judicial  machinery.  For  this  latter  there  can  be  no 
place.    Christ  gave  it  no  place. 

But  these  proposals  do  not  involve  the  Congregational- 
izing of  the  churches  in  their  internal  life.  Each  church 
must  decide  for  itself  its  form  of  government,  etc.  Let  it 
govern  itself  by  ruling  elders,  if  it  pleases,  or  by  an  autocratic 
priest.  Let  it  make  the  Lord's  Supper  a  mass,  or  let  it 
dispense  with  visible  sacraments  altogether.  And  Quaker 
and  Roman  Catholic,  in  their  several  local  groups,  may 
still  go  to  make  up  together  the  one  visible  Church. 

VIL  Such  a  consummation  we  do  not  look  for  in  the 
immediate  future.  It  involves  a  growth  in  tolerance  even 
greater  than  that  of  the  last  fifty  years.  But  one  advantage 
of  the  scheme  proposed  is  that  it  begins  at  the  lower  end, 
with  the  local  church  in  the  small  community  where  the 
pressure  of  sectarian  competition  is  at  its  worst.  We  do 
not  need  to  wait  for  the  outcome  of  negotiations  between 
high  contracting  parties.  If  Church  unity  is  to  take  that 
line  we  shall  have  to  wait  a  long  while.  We  may  begin 
right  away  in  the  small  over-churched  town,  pool  our 
differences  and  our  agreements,  and  make  one  strong  self- 
governing  church  out  of  the  many  weak  societies. 

The  task  before  each  denomination,  in  the  face  of  the 
growing  demand  for  Church  unity,  is  to  cultivate  a  larger 

H 


114       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

inclusiveness.  The  Congregational  Church  has  an  enviable 
position  in  this  regard.  It  does  not  need  to  abrogate  func- 
tions of  legislation  and  judicature,  in  order  to  allow  freedom 
for  the  diversities  vv^hich  will  be  necessary  in  a  reunited 
Church.  It  has  been  broadly  tolerant  of  various  types, 
doctrines  and  forms.  Almost  all  Congregational  churches 
are  union  churches  in  fact.^  The  denomination  has  stood 
for  Union,  both  in  declaration^  and  practice,  as  perhaps  no 
other  has  done.  Its  services  in  this  regard  have  been  in- 
valuable, especially  on  the  frontier.  But  CongregationaHsm 
must  become  broader  still  if  it  is  to  fulfil  its  calling  as  a 
pioneer  in  the  reunion  of  the  American  Church.  It  must 
consider  itself  as  primarily  a  form  of  government,  furnishing 
the  combination  of  strength  and  elasticity  necessary  to  hold 
self-governing  churches  together  in  a  loving  fellowship. 
Only  secondarily  is  it  a  witness  to  particular  theories  of 
local  organization,  of  the  ministry,  etc.,  which  Congrega- 
tionalists  may  derive  from  Christ.  We  must  be  ready  to 
include  within  our  fellowship  individuals  and  churches 
which  seem  to  us  to  dififer  from  ApostoHc  standards.  We 
must  not  say:  "We  shall  be  glad  to  have  all  who  think  as 
we  do  come  into  our  body."    That  is  to  prove  false  to  one 

^  We  cite  one  of  the  countless  instances — the  Westchester  Congre- 
gational Church,  N.  Y.,  which,  at  the  close  of  its  fourth  year,  had  166 
members  received  by  letter,  as  follows  :  —  Congregational  40 ;  Metho- 
dist 42  ;  Presbyterian  38  ;  Reformed  25  ;  Baptist  8  ;  Protestant  Episcopal 
6  ;  Church  of  England  2  ;  German  Reformed  i  ;  Disciples  i  ;  Inde- 
pendent 3.  At  the  meeting  for  organization  not  a  single  person  was  a 
Congregationallst. 

^Burial  Hill  Declaration,  1865.  "We  rejoice  that,  through  the  in- 
fluence of  our  free  system  of  apostolic  order,  we  can  hold  fellowship 
with  all  who  acknowledge  Christ ;  and  act  efficiently  in  the  work  of 
restoring  unity  to  the  divided  Church,  and  of  bringing  back  harmony 
and  peace  among  all  'who  love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity.*" 


THE    BASIS     FOR     CHURCH     UNITY  II 5 

of  the  fundamental  principles  of  our  history.  We  must 
say  rather:  "  Come  into  our  body,  even  if  you  differ ;  so  you 
be  followers  of  the  common  Lord  we  can  live  together  as 
brothers."  We  must  look  upon  our  polity  as  a  flux  to  bind 
together  whosoever  will, —  Quaker,  Baptist,  Presbyterian, 
Episcopalian,  Romanist, —  coming  singly  as  they  have  come 
to  us  in  the  past,  or  coming  as  organized  units  and  pre- 
serving their  own  name  and  ways. 

In  other  words  we  must  look  upon  our  life  as  a  denomi- 
nation not  as  an  end  in  itself,  or  chiefly  as  a  means  to  pro- 
mote certain  views  of  Christian  truth,  but  as  a  means  to 
promote  "the  United  Church  of  the  United  States,"  into 
which  we  hope  one  day  to  be  absorbed.  To  that  united 
Church  we  shall  contribute,  first  a  polity,  secondly  a  spirit, 
thirdly  a  Hfe  to  mingle  with  other  lives,  fourthly  such  par- 
ticular views  of  Christian  truth  as  we  have  stood  for  in  the 
past,  stand  for  today,  and  shall  continue  to  stand  for  until 
they  have  won  their  way  or  are  proved  false.  In  the  words 
of  Professor  Willett:  "The  church  of  the  future  will  in- 
clude a  far  greater  variety  of  organization,  worship  and 
doctrine  than  has  ever  yet  been  seen.  No  plan  of  Chris- 
tian union  can  be  conceived  that  does  not  admit  these 
varieties,  and  recognize  in  all  of  them  helpful  and  necessary 
expressions  of  that  Christian  Hberty  which  is  perfectly  con- 
sistent with  loyalty  to  Christ."^ 

^Herbert  L.  Willett,  Our  Plea  for  Union  and  the  Present  Crisis, 
1901,  125.  Though  written  from  the  standpoint  of  the  Disciples,  Pro- 
fessor Willett's  little  book  is  instructive  for  Christians  of  every  name. 
Its  spirit  cannot  be  too  highly  commended.  We  make  one  further  quo- 
tation: "On  the  question  of  ordinances  the  same  liberty  will  prevail. 
At  first  this  liberty  is  likely  to  lead  to  variety  of  practice,  and  probably 
the  subject  of  baptism  will  be  the  last  to  receive  satisfactory  adjustment 
in  the  scheme  of  a  united  church.    Patience  will  be  required  at  thig 


Il6       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

For  this  larger  unity  the  Congregational  Church  is 
ready  to  sacrifice  its  denominational  name  and  conscious- 
ness and  machinery.  It  is  ready  when  the  other  denomina- 
tions are  ready.  We  have  learned  from  bitter  experience 
that  to  do  so  without  their  full  cooperation  is  not  self- 
sacrifice  but  "a  waste  and  a  sop  to  the  stalwart  selfishness 
of  somebody  else."  For  formal  federation  of  the  churches, 
while  present  divisions  continue,  the  Congregational 
Church  is  always  ready,  and  has  promoted  the  movement 
from  the  beginning.^  Even  without  such  formal  federation, 
we  shall  refuse  to  push  our  organizations  where  others  are 
fully  occupying  the  field.  For  we  beHeve  in  carrying  the 
spirit  of  Christ  into  the  missionary  work  of  the  churches. 
We  shall  continue   to   recognize  the   church-membership, 

point,  and  forbearance,  perhaps  more  than  at  any  other.  There  will 
be  congregations  which  practice  only  immersion  and  admit  to  fellow- 
ship only  such  as  have  been  immersed.  There  will  be  those  who  prac- 
tice only  immersion,  but  will  admit  to  their  membership  those  who 
have  submitted  to  sprinkling  or  pouring  as  baptism,  upon  the  ground 
that  the  individual  must  be  responsible  for  this  obedience  to  the  Lord. 
There  will  be  still  others  who  use  immersion,  sprinkling  and  pouring 
indiscriminately  and  hold  no  particular  testimony  upon  the  form  of 
baptism  so-called.  But  in  this  matter,  as  in  those  of  government  and 
creed,  it  is  impossible  to  escape  the  conclusion  that  as  the  church  devel- 
ops in  the  spirit  of  unity  and  the  particular  denominational  barriers 
are  broken  away,  there  will  be  a  more  general  recognition  of  the  apos- 
tolic practice  in  the  matter  of  baptism,  and  less  tendency  to  maintain 
for  traditional  reasons  other  practices  which  have  no  authority  in  holy 
writ.  At  the  same  time  the  church  universal  will  more  and  more  place 
emphasis  upon  individual  responsibility  as  the  determining  factor  in 
this  as  in  other  particulars.  Man  must  be  permitted  to  make  his  own 
choice  between  apostolic  and  non-apostolic  practice,  and  to  assume 
responsibility  for  his  conduct.  Christian  liberty  and  individual  ac- 
countability must  be  everywhere  recognized."  Id.  izji. 
*For  Federation  of  Churches,  see  Appendix  B, 


THE     BASIS     FOR     CHURCH     UNITY  II7 

baptism  and  ministry  of  other  bodies,  whether  they  recip- 
rocate or  not.  We  shall  encourage  our  members  to  join 
other  churches  where  there  is  no  church  of  the  Congrega- 
tional way  to  be  had.  And  in  every  way  that  is  shown  to 
us  we  shall  strive  to  promote  that  unity  of  spirit,  without 
which  a  visible  unity  would  be  impossible.  For  so  we  read 
the  command  of  the  Lord. 


CHAPTER   IX 

FELLOWSHIP  AND    OVERSIGHT 

The  most  important  problem  in  Congregational  polity 
Itoday  is  the  development  of  an  adequate  administrative 
system.  We  have  seen  the  legitimacy  of  administrative  bodies 
in  a  Church  which  holds  to  the  direct  lordship  of  Jesus 
Christ.  Whether  the  lack  of  such  bodies  has  contributed 
to  the  slovsrness  of  Congregational  grov^th  is  an  open  ques- 
tion. Probably  it  has,  through  discouraging  a  proper 
denominational  consciousness  and  through  a  lack  of  over- 
sight. Looking  to  the  future,  the  Congregational  churches 
must  prove  that  on  their  polity  an  adequate  fellow^ship  and 
oversight  are  possible.  It  has  not  yet  been  proved,  and, 
until  it  is,  other  bodies  will  hesitate  to  accept  the  Congre- 
gational form  of  government  as  a  solution  of  the  problem 
of  Church  unity.  Congregationalists  the  world  over  are 
realizing  the  situation  and  bestirring  themselves  to  meet  it. 

Fortunately  we  do  not  need  to  reverse  the  conditions  of 
all  historical  progress  and  attempt  the  reconstruction  of  our 
polity  de  novo.  Various  essays  at  an  administrative  system 
lie  about,  half  finished.  These  must  be  the  basis  of  any 
further  development  in  Congregational  polity.  They  simply 
need  perfecting  and  coordinating.  Historically  the  fellow- 
ship of  the  Congregational  churches  has  been  expressed 
(when  expressed  at  all)  in  three  principal  ways, — by  a 
pro  re  nata  council,  by  a  system  of  representative  assemblies 

(ii8) 


FELLOWSHIP    AND    OVERSIGHT  II9 

and  by  paid  superintendents.^  Let  us  take  these  up  in 
order. 

I.  The  Council  of  churches,  attending  by  their  represen- 
tatives (a  few  individuals  perhaps  being  added),  at  the 
request  of  some  church  or  party  wishing  advice.  Let  us 
look  first  at  the  Council  called  to  advise  when  difficulties 
have  arisen  in  a  congregation.  This  mode  of  expressing 
the  fellowship  of  the  churches,  though  found  in  the  New 
Testament  and  in  the  scheme  of  Robert  Browne,  has  been 
fully  developed  only  in  American  Congregationahsm.  It  is 
probably  the  most  distinguishing  feature  of  our  poHty.  A 
body  of  precedents,  hke  a  sort  of  common  law,  has  grown 
up  to  govern  the  procedure  of  a  Council,  and  some 
attempts  have  been  made  to  codify  this.  But  the  Council's 
organization  and  procedure  are  of  the  simplest ;  it  is  sim- 
ply common  sense  applied  to  a  particular  relation  of  the 
churches  to  each  other  and  to  Christ. 

"Our  government,"  says  Dr.  Dexter,  "is  not  strong  in 
externals.  It  just  has  God's  indwelling  to  shape  it,  and 
God's  interworking  to  control  it  —  that  is  all.  .  .  .  Our 
system  attaches  itself — so,  reverently,  to  speak — directly  to 
God,  without  intermediate  machinery.  It  holds  that  the 
Great  Head  of  the  Church  dwells  in  every  true  believer,  to 
prompt  and  shape  his  acts.  It  holds  that  He  preeminently 
dwells  in  every  church  of  such  believers,  giving  definite 
promise  of  guidance  to  them  in  their  associate  capacity,  in 
answer  to  their  united   supplication.    It   holds,   especially, 

lOf  other  forms  of  Congregational  oversight,  the  civil  court  of 
course  dropped  out  with  disestablishment;  "Synods"  and  missionary 
boards  may  be  postponed  until  a  later  chapter,  as  we  shall  deal  here 
only  with  local  fellowship  ;  the  Connecticut  consociation  of  the  present 
may  be  treated  as  a  (somewhat  precocious)  Conference. 


I20       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

that  He  pledges  His  peculiar  presence,  by  His  illuminating 
Spirit,  when  those  churches  humbly  and  reverently  confer 
in  Council  desiring  His  Hght  in  darkness,  and  His  calm  in 
storm. "^ 

Where  the  Council  has  "most  humbled  its  human  pride 
and  most  exalted  its  Divine  leadership,"  it  has  been  con- 
spicuously successful.  To  quote  Dexter's  w^ords  further : 
"Any  falling  out  by  the  way  between  real  Christians  must 
be  the  consequence  of  some  spiritual  declension.  What  is 
needed  for  its  satisfactory  removal,  is  the  cure  of  that 
declension.  ...  A  Council  is  not  a  *  court  of  Jesus 
Christ,'  which,  on  sworn  testimony  and  after  special  plead- 
ing, is  to  declare  a  judgment  to  which  all  must  conform, 
and  under  which  one  party  at  the  least  must  smart  with 
disappointment,  if  not  with  some  sense  of  wrong;  it  is  the 
affectionate,  persuasive  presence  of  near  friends,  tenderly 
concerned  to  have  all  that  is  unclear  clarified,  and  all  that 
is  selfish  or  exorbitant,  or  only  mistaken  and  misdone,  read- 
justed into  the  harmony  of  absolute  right. "^  Where  a 
Council  fails,  any  other  means  would  have  failed.  Where  a 
Council  succeeds,  no  other  means  are  needed.  Whatever 
readjustments  may  be  necessary  in  Congregational  polity, 
the  Council  pro  re  nata  must  always  be,  to  use  a  somewhat 
unfortunate  phrase  of  Professor  Nash,  "the  court  of  final 
appeal." 

For  the  Council  in  its  other  functions,  less  can  be  said. 
It  may  serve  a  useful  purpose  in  the  recognition  of  a  new 
church.  To  advise  in  the  ordination  or  dismissal  of  a  pas- 
tor, or  other  matters  (outside  of  quarrels)  where  advice 
might  be  wise,  it  is  well  enough  on  paper.    It  may   have 

*  Congregationalism  as  Seen,  etc.,  706. 
»Id.  621. 


FELLOWSHIP    AND    OVERSIGHT  121 

worked  well  in  earlier  Congregational  history.  But  in  prac- 
tice, among  Congregational  churches  of  the  present,  the 
Council  is  a  minus  quantity  or  a  cipher.  Few  Councils  are 
called,  and  when  they  do  meet  there  is  a  timidity,  a  lack 
of  dignity,  even  of  seriousness,  that  casts  shame  on  repre- 
sentatives of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Better  no  Councils  at 
all  than  some  of  the  Councils  we  have.  Both  the  lack  of 
seriousness  and  the  unwillingness  to  advise  the  church 
freely  may  be  traced  to  the  Council's  knowledge  that 
advice  is  not  wanted.  The  church  will  proceed  with  the 
ordination  in  any  case  (the  programs  are  already  printed) 
and  the  presence  of  other  churches  is  merely  a  matter  of 
form. 

The  curse  of  Congregationalism,  which  not  only  hinders 
it  from  fulfiUing  its  mission,  but  threatens  its  very  existence, 
is  "parochial  selfishness."  This  is  by  no  means  confined  to 
the  Congregational  churches,  but  is  a  graver  danger  under 
our  free  polity.  Each  church,  being  sufficient  unto  itself, 
thinks  only  of  itself.  It  resents  even  advice  from  other 
churches  as  an  interference  with  its  supreme  authority. 
Various  remedies  may  be  suggested  for  this  unhealthy  state 
of  our  body  ecclesiastical.  Sackcloth  and  ashes  is  one  of 
them.  A  review  of  Congregational  polity,  with  the  New 
Testament  in  hand,  is  another.  Another  is  for  the  dele- 
gates, when  they  come  together  in  a  Council,  to  consider 
the  call  under  which  they  meet,  (a  double  call,  from  the 
Lord  and  from  men),  and  really  advise,  whether  in  fact  the 
church  desires  it  or  not,  has  already  acted  or  not.  Much 
of  the  trouble,  as  one  of  our  correspondents  points  out, 
"arises  from  adherence  to  traditional  forms  and  neglect  of 
the  note  of  reaHty  that  should  be  upon  all  the  utterances 
of  a  Christian  church."     Back  of  this  unreahty  is  some- 


122       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

thing  which  is  very  real  just  now,  and  that  is  selfishness. 
The  only  remedy  for  selfishness  is  unselfishness.  The  great 
remedy  for  lack  of  fellowship  is  to  practice  fellowship.  Let 
the  churches  unite  in  common  work  which  calls  to  them, 
work  which  no  one  of  them  can  do  alone.  Let  the  strong 
churches  love  their  weaker  neighbors  as  themselves,  and 
love  in  deed.  We  shall  soon  recover  from  our  Independency 
into  the  strong  fellowship  of  Congregational  churches. 
If  the  pastors  lead  in  such  a  movement,  the  churches  will 
follow. 

II.  We  doubt,  however,  whether  the  Council,  even  if 
we  experience  a  revival  of  fellowship,  can  fully  supply  our 
needs.^  The  fact  that  other  agencies  have  arisen  to  serve 
in  the  oversight  of  the  churches  suggests  that  the  Council 
has  proved  inadequate  in  the  past.  Which  brings  us  to 
Associations,  or  Conferences,  as  they  are  more  generally 
called.  The  system  of  representative  associations  is  com- 
paratively new  in  Congregationalism,  though  experiments 
had  been  made  with  consociations  in  a  part  of  New  Eng- 
land. The  first  local  association  of  churches  (as  distinct 
from  ministerial  associations)  appeared  in  1803,  the  second 
in  1808.^  On  no  side  of  our  polity  has  the  development 
been  more  rapid.  "Throughout  the  nineteenth  century 
they  steadily  multipHed  and  matured.  At  first  they  were, 
as  in  New  England  they  continue  to  be,  without  adminis- 
trative part,  merely  meetings  for  conference  and  fellowship 
and  for  the  election  of  representatives  to  state  and  national 

1  Formal  oversight  can  never  be  a  substitute  for  fellowship.  That 
the  latter  is  possible  without  machinery  is  seen  from  the  "parochial 
unselfishness"  of  the  Disciples.  If  we  discuss  machinery  of  a  simple 
sort,  it  is  simply  as  a  means  of  expression  for  the  fellowship  of  the 
churches  and  an  encouragement  to  its  growth. 

2  A.  H.  Ross,  The  Church  Kingdom,  297  ff. 


FELLOWSHIP    AND     OVERSIGHT  I23 

assemblies.  In  the  West,  either  forestalling  ministerial 
associations  or  outrunning  them  in  value  and  influence, 
they  have  been  charged  virith  significant  administrative 
functions."^  With  this  Western  development  of  the  Asso- 
ciation the  name  of  Dr.  Ross  is  inseparably  connected. 
Much  of  his  program  for  enlarging  its  powers  has  already 
been  carried  out.  "It  now^  becomes  evident  what  a  place 
of  responsible  influence  is  being  given  to  the  association  of 
churches  in  our  polity.  It  has  Hcensure;  it  has  ministerial 
standing;  it  has  virtual  deposition  from  the  ministry;  it  has 
churchly  standing;  it  has  the  denominational  discrediting 
of  a  church.  Obviously  the  churches — and  the  churches  are 
everything  in  our  polity  —  are  making  the  local  association 
their  arm  for  self-protection  and  purity,  their  arm  also  for 
neighborhood  administration.  The  association,  having  been 
proved  faithful  over  a  few  things,  is  being  set  over  many 
things."  2 

If  some  means  must  be  found  for  more  effective  over- 
sight, the  local  association  is  certainly  the  key.  It  has 
possibilities  as  an  administrative  body,  and  experiments  have 
recently  been  made  along  this  line.  We  note  three  pioneer 
movements,  representing  somewhat  different  types  of  ad- 
justment. 

The  first  we  may  term  the  Boston  Plan.  Papers  read  at 
a  union  meeting  of  the  three  Suffolk  Conferences,  March 
31st,  1903,  suggested  the  plan  of  a  Union  Conference, 
which  was  carried  into  effect  later  in  the  same  year.  It 
is  known  as  the  Union  Conference  of  Congregational 
Churches  of  Boston  and  Vicinity.    The  three  local  Con- 

^C.  S,  Nash,  Association  and  Council  as  Factors  in  Congrega- 
tionalism^ 4. 
Md.  12. 


124       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

ferences  keep  their  previous  organization  and  functions. 
But  the  union  body  coordinates  and  extends  their  fellow- 
ship. It  has  a  board  of  five  commissioners,  whose  duties 
are  as  follows:  "(a)  To  consider  the  opportunities  and 
responsibilities  of  the  Congregational  churches  of  Boston 
and  vicinity  for  Christian  work,  and  to  take  such  initiative 
as  the  Commissioners  deem  necessary,  (b)  To  proffer 
counsel  and  arbitration  where  needed,  (c)  To  secure  bet- 
ter comity  between  the  societies  and  organizations  operating 
in  its  field,  (d)  To  provide  information  for  those  desiring 
it,  concerning  the  principles  and  methods  of  Congregation- 
alism."^ The  city  missionary  Union  becomes  the  agent  of 
the  Conference,  which  nominates  its  directors.  Member- 
ship is  on  the  same  basis  as  that  of  the  local  Conferences, 
five  delegates  from  each  church. 

We  turn  next  to  the  Maine  Plan.  In  the  following 
year  the  Cumberland  Conference  adapted  this  Boston  plan 
to  a  single  local  Conference,  including  both  city  and 
country  churches.^  Like  the  Boston  Union  Conference  it 
is  an  addition  to  the  present  local  machinery.  But  in  this 
case  the  new  organization  is  within  rather  than  above.  A 
Union  Council  is  created,  consisting  of  the  pastor  and  one 
lay  delegate  from  each  church,  the  latter  holding  office  for 
one  year.  The  membership  of  the  Council  may  or  may 
not  be  the  same  as  that  of  the  Conference,  but  the  basis 
of  representation  is  the  same.  The  Council  holds  a  regu- 
lar annual  meeting  and  acts  as  a  committee  of  the  Confer- 
ence, reporting  to  it  Hke  any  other  committee.    The  dele- 

1  See  Appendix  C. 

^The  plan  has  since  been  followed  by  other  local  Conferences  in 
Maine.  The  constitution  of  the  Council  is  printed  in  full  in  Appen- 
dix E. 


FELLOWSHIP    AND     OVERSIGHT  1 25 

gates  to  the  Council  are  also  expected  to  report  to  the 
annual  meetings  of  their  own  churches.  The  working  arm 
of  the  Council,  called  at  first  by  the  rather  ominous  name 
of  "Board  of  Control"  (this  has  since  been  changed  to 
"Advisory  Board"),  meets  at  least  every  two  months,  and 
its  duties  are  modeled  after  those  of  the  Board  of  Commis- 
sioners in  Boston.  One  section  is  new;  the  Board  is  "to 
be  the  medium  by  which  the  aid  and  counsel  of  the 
stronger  shall  be  given  to  the  weaker  churches."  The 
hberties  of  the  churches  are  guarded  by  the  following 
articles  in  the  constitution  of  the  Conference,  drawn  up 
in  1836,  which  might  be  called  a  Congregational  Bill  of 
Rights:  "4.  The  only  objects  of  the  Conference  shall  be 
to  promote  intercourse  and  brotherly  love  among  the 
churches,  and  excite  each  other  to  cooperation  in  the  great 
work  to  which  they  are  all  called  of  glorifying  God  and 
promoting  the  interests  of  Christ's  kingdom.  5.  This  Con- 
ference shall  be  open  for  the  proposal  and  discussion  of  any 
subject  and  the  adoption  of  any  measures  relating  to  the 
promotion  of  religion,  subject  to  the  restriction  contained 
in  the  preceding  articles.  6.  By  uniting  with  the  Confer- 
ence no  church  is  considered  as  abridging  its  separate  rights 
and  privileges,  and  no  ecclesiastical  authority  or  power 
shall  ever  be  delegated  to  the  Conference  or  assumed  by  it." 
The  third  experiment  (though  second  in  point  of  time) 
is  that  of  the  Bay  Association,  CaHfornia,  a  local  body, 
embracing  the  churches  of  Alameda  county,  where  condi- 
tions are  somewhat  similar  to  those  in  the  Cumberland 
Conference.  But  here,  instead  of  a  new  organization 
above  or  within  the  old,  the  Boston  Plan  was  attached 
directly  to  the  Association  itself.  By  an  amendment  to  the 
Constitution    and  By-Laws,    a    Prudential   Committee  of 


126       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

nine  is  created,  with  duties  similar  to  those  already  de- 
scribed. "It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Prudential  Committee 
to  promote  the  welfare  and  fellowship  of  the  churches  of 
this  Association  in  all  possible  ways,  and  especially  as  fol- 
lows: ia)  To  consider  the  opportunities,  responsibilities 
and  resources  of  the  churches  of  the  Association,  and  to 
study  the  whole  field  with  reference  to  the  best  distribu- 
tion and  employment  of  forces,  {b)  To  receive  any  re- 
quests for  counsel,  to  offer  advice  in  needy  and  difficult 
cases,  and  when  necessary  to  report  to  the  Association 
ways  and  means  for  meeting  such  cases  and  execute  the 
Association's  provisions  for  relief,  (c)  To  initiate  and 
report  plans  for  new  enterprises  and  forward  movements, 
in  short,  all  that  pertains  to  the  extension  of  Christ's  king- 
dom throughout  Alameda  county.  And  to  make  its  work 
effective  the  Prudential  Committee  is  hereby  empowered 
by  the  churches  throughout  the  Association  to  assume 
from  year  to  year  whatever  financial  responsibiHty  may  be 
necessary."^ 

Of  the  three  plans,  that  of  CaHfornia  is  the  simplest, 
as  it  does  away  with  separate  boards  or  church-extension 
societies.  The  plan  is  a  legitimate  development  of  the 
local  Conference  along  the  Hne  of  common  work,  and  is 
likely  to  be  widely  followed.  Michigan  has  already  recom- 
mended to  its  local  associations  the  idea  of  a  working  com- 
mittee.^ The  plan  promises  excellent  results.  The  im- 
proved Conference  does  what  the  Council  was  supposed 
to  do  in  the  matter  of  advising  the  churches,  only  it  does 
it  more  effectively.  As  a  standing  body,  it  is  always  ready 
for  service.  There  is  no  danger  of  its  encroaching  on  the 
liberty  of  the  churches.  It  has  merely  a  moral  authority, 
^Adopted  March  8,  1904.  'See  Appendix  E, 


FELLOWSHIP    AND     OVERSIGHT  1 27 

and  the  Council,  being  always  available  as  a  last  resort, 
serves  as  an  automatic  check.^  The  Conference  under  this 
plan  becomes  a  working  body,  instead  of  a  slimly-attended 
hterary  society.  An  emphasis  is  put  on  local  responsibility 
for  local  work. 2  As  Professor  Nash  says:  "In  many  cases 
of  perplexity  or  disagreement  the  whole  circle  of  churches 
is  directly  concerned.  Not  seldom  the  financial  aid  of 
every  one  is  to  be  solicited.  Why,  then,  a  council  of  six 
churches  out  of  sixteen,  of  eight  ministers  out  of  thirty? 
The  dissolution  of  a  church,  the  migration  of  another,  the 
deliverance  of  a  third  from  financial  distress,  would  proceed, 
if  not  with  wiser  reason,  yet  with  more  effect,  upon  the 
advisory  action  of  the  inclusive  body.  In  each  of  these  pro- 
cedures, as  well  as  in  the  ordination  or  installation  of  a 
minister  and  the  formation  of  a  church,  every  church  and 
every  minister  is  interested.  As  an  association,  all  would 
have  part  in  the  event.  As  a  council,  only  a  few  *  first ' 
and  *  leading '  churches  and  ministers  are  called ;  the  rest 
may  be  pardoned  for  wondering  if  that  is  the  best  fellow- 
ship Congregationalism  can  show  on  so  principal  a  matter."^ 
We  postpone  until  the  next  chapter  a  discussion  of  ordi- 
nation by  Association,  as  advocated  by  Professor  Nash,  and 
by  Dr.  H.  P.  De  Forest,  in  a  paper  before  the  State  Asso- 
ciation of  Michigan.*    But  one  important  suggestion  of  the 

^A  Massachusetts  plan  (Lowell,  May,  1905),  though  tentative 
and  too  vague  for  exact  criticism,  seems  a  step  in  the  wrong  direction. 
In  matters  of  inter-communal  concern  it  would  substitute  for  the  vicin- 
age council  a  Conciliar  Committee  of  the  local  Conference,  whose  de- 
cisions "shall  be  final."  If  this  means  setting  up  judicial  bodies,  Mas- 
sachusetts will  soon  need  another  John  Wise. 

^  For  the  place  of  the  Conference  in  missionary  work,  see  Chap.  XII. 

'Op.  cit.,  15. 

*May  1904;  Congregational  Felloivship  and  Oversight,  34  ff. 


128       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

latter  may  be  considered  here.  The  function  of  fitting 
ministers  to  churches  should  be  added  to  the  local  Confer- 
ence. A  Board,  composed  of  the  best  available  ministers 
and  laymen,  might  "act  as  an  intermediary  body  between 
churchless  pastors  and  pastorless  churches."  As  the  Board 
won  confidence,  and,  acting  in  harmony  with  similar  bodies 
throughout  the  state,  gathered  an  increasing  store  of 
information  concerning  men  and  fields,  it  "might  supply  to 
a  large  degree  the  need  of  oversight  so  strongly  felt." 

This  matter  of  securing  ministers  for  churches  is  the 
crux  of  the  whole  problem  of  oversight.  Our  present 
method  is  chaos,  or  worse.  As  Dr.  De  Forest  says : 
"Where  there  are  so  many  feeble  churches,  that  are  never 
likely,  under  present  conditions,  to  be  stronger,  consolida- 
tion is  the  remedy  suggested  by  all  the  movements  of  the 
times.  If  it  can  be  by  federation  of  denominations,  well ; 
if  not,  it  can  be  by  enlarging  a  field  into  a  small  district, 
and  putting  a  capable  man  in  it — such  as  neither  of  the 
included  churches  could  ever  get  by  itself, — to  work  the 
field,"  with  such  unordained  assistants  as  he  might  need  ; 
"the  minister  in  charge  to  be  assured  a  salary  that  is  equal 
to  his  position,  secured  by  the  central  Board  in  cooperation 
with  the  churches."  This  circuit  plan  is  Hkely  to  see  a 
wide  extension ;  there  seems  to  be  no  other  way  of  hand- 
ling the  country  problem. 

But  to  have  a  circuit  at  all,  the  pastor  must  be  appointed, 
the  churches  simply  concurring.  The  question  will  at  once 
be  raised,  whether  in  this  we  have  not  passed  the  legiti- 
mate bounds  of  Democracy.  We  believe  not.  The  local 
Conference,  with  its  advisory  Board  (or  "Fellowship  Com- 
mittee") has  only  a  moral  authority.  The  churches  must 
concur ;  without  such  concurrence  the  "  appointment "  is 


FELLOWSHIP    AND     OVERSIGHT  1 29 

null.  Even  in  episcopal  bodies  this  is  coming  to  be  true. 
The  plan  really  involves  nomination,  rather  than  appoint- 
ment in  the  strict  sense.  We  understand  that  the  Lutheran 
Church  (which,  in  theory  at  least,  has  a  perfect  church 
polity,  two-thirds  direct  and  one-third  indirect  democracy) 
follows  exactly  this  plan.  When  a  church  becomes  vacant, 
a  central  body  sends  down  the  best  man  available.  If  the 
church  is  not  satisfied,  a  second  man  is  sent  down,  and 
perhaps  a  third.  If  the  church  is  still  dissatisfied,  it  has  to 
find  its  own  man  or  go  without ;  but  this  rarely  happens. 
We  believe  that  Congregational  churches,  as  well  as  minis- 
ters, would  welcome  this  escape  from  the  present  vicious 
candidating  system,  with  its  complement,  cheap  men  or  no 
men  at  all  for  the  smaller  fields.  They  would  desire  the 
assistance  of  the  nominating  Board  and  increasingly  respect 
its  judgment. 

The  plan  above  outlined  promises  an  approach  to  thf 
oft-quoted  ideal,  "no  church  without  a  minister  and  no 
minister  without  a  church."  It  may  not  do  this  as  per- 
fectly as  the  system  of  "Conference  appointment"  (in  the 
strict  sense)  followed  by  the  various  Methodist  bodies. 
But  over  such  system  it  promises  certain  counterbalancing 
advantages :  (a)  A  minister  is  never  forced  upon  a  church 
against  its  will,  or  a  church  upon  a  minister,  {h)  The 
large  church  is  not  obliged  to  conform  to  the  practice  of 
smaller  churches  in  circuits,  {c)  Rotation  is  discouraged, 
not  encouraged.  Other  things  being  equal,  as  they  should 
be,  the  longer  a  minister  stays  with  a  church  the  better 
work  he  can  do.  {d)  As  the  ministry  is  not  a  close  cor- 
poration, there  is  a  better  chance  to  weed  out  poor  men. 

III.  In  modern  CongregationaHsm  something  of  this 
work  of  oversight  and  ministerial  appointment  has  been 

I 


130      DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

managed  by  the  home  missionary  Superintendents  of  the 
various  states,  generally  with  assistants  working  under  them. 
Their  presence  may  seem  strange  in  a  body  of  extremely 
democratic  churches,  but  they  are  creatures  of  a  need  and 
have  justified  their  creation.  Strictly  these  Superintendents 
are  not  "bishops,"  either  in  the  original  parochial  sense,  or 
in  the  later  diocesan  sense.  So  they  hardly  meet  the  standard 
of  the  "historic  episcopate."  We  might  call  them  diocesan 
"apostles."  Or,  if  you  please,  bishops,  presiding  over  a 
definite  territory  but  with  only  a  moral  authority.  The  real 
anomaly  in  Congregational  polity  is  not  their  presence,  or 
their  authority.  It  is  the  fact  that,  in  the  newer  states  at 
least,  they  are  appointed  by  an  outside  missionary  society, 
instead  of  being  chosen  by  the  churches  they  are  to  serve. 
This  leaves  them  with  a  supervision  simply  of  the  smaller 
churches,  that  is,  those  receiving  home  missionary  aid. 

Just  what  is  to  come  of  this  moral  episcopate  in  the 
next  few  years  it  is  not  possible  to  predict.  The  tendency 
seems  to  be  to  make  the  Superintendency  an  elective  office, 
with  a  general  supervision  over  all  the  churches,  larger  as 
well  as  smaller.^  At  present  the  Superintendent's  territory 
is  much  too  large.  It  is  simply  impossible  for  one  man  to 
cover  a  state,  in  any  adequate  way.  A  system  of  assistant 
bishops  may  be  devised,  or  each  Conference  may  come  to 
have  its  own  bishop.  We  prefer  the  latter,  several  Confer- 
ences combining  where  they  are  too  weak  to  support  such 
a  servant  alone.  The  Superintendent  would  thus  serve  as 
the  paid  agent,  the  working  arm,  of  the  local  Fellowship 
Committee.  When  necessary  the  work  of  such  an  agent 
may  be  done,  and  is  now  being  done  in  many  places,  by 

*  Cf.  the  plan  proposed  in  Michigan,  Part  III,  as  given  in  Ap- 
pendix E. 


FELLOWSHIP    AND    OVERSIGHT  I3I 

the  Committee  itself.  But  whatever  be  the  machinery  for 
oversight,  it  is  not,  we  repeat,  a  substitute  for  "fellowship." 
The  great  business  of  Bishop  or  Board  is  to  lead  the 
churches  and  pastors  to  do  the  common  work  which  needs 
to  be  done,  and  to  help  one  another  where  help  is  needed. 

One  of  the  great  virtues  of  Congregationalism  is  that  it 
is  not  run  in  the  mould  of  a  mechanical  uniformity.  Under 
our  polity  the  machinery  for  oversight  may  vary  in  different 
sections  of  the  country,  both  in  kind  and  in  complexity. 
In  Connecticut,  for  instance,  associations  and  consociations 
have  long  existed  side  by  side,  with  no  movement  in  the 
direction  of  ideal  symmetry.  Our  polity  is  elastic  enough 
to  allow  this,  without  straining  the  fellowship  between 
groups  of  churches.  It  leaves  room  for  wide  experimenting, 
and  the  adoption  of  machinery  which  experience  elsewhere 
has  shown  to  be  wise.  Here  is  the  only  possible  solution  of 
the  puzzle  of  organic  union  with  United  Brethren  or  similar 
bodies,  when  this  passes  from  the  speech-making  stage  to 
the  practical.  We  have  no  assembly  to  sign  articles  of 
agreement.  A  union  of  that  sort  would  require  the  vote  of 
every  Congregational  church  in  the  United  States.  There 
is  no  power  that  can  compel  all  our  churches  to  adopt  a 
system  of  episcopal  oversight,  even  of  the  moral  kind.  But 
sections  of  our  churches  may  see  fit  to  adopt  a  local  system 
similar  to  that  of  the  United  Brethren.  They  could  do  so 
and  still  retain  unimpaired  their  fellowship  with  other 
sections  clinging  to  extreme  independency.  Congregational, 
United  Brethren  and  Methodist  Protestant  churches,  in 
various  parts  of  the  country,  could  come  together  in  a  union 
association,  under  some  form  of  connectionalism  upon 
which  they  might  agree,  while  each  body  of  churches  re- 

^This  was  written  before  the  Dayton  Council.     See  Appendix  A. 


132       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

tained  for  the  present  its  denominational  relations.  If  any- 
thing is  to  come  of  union,  this  is  Hkely  to  be  the  method 
followed  at  the  beginning.  In  the  Congregational  polity 
of  the  future,  it  is  probable  that  all  the  systems  we  have 
mentioned, —  the  Council  of  fellowship,  the  Conference  in 
its  new  development,  and  the  moral  Episcopate, —  will  find 
a  place,  both  separately  and  in  combination. 

IV.  There  remain  to  be  considered  some  other  experi- 
ments in  fellowship  and  oversight,  which  we  may  group 
under  the  head  of  Local  Consolidation.  We  may  look  first 
at  the  "United  Congregational  Church  of  Newcastle  and 
District,  New  South  Wales,"  an  experiment  more  radical 
than  anything  attempted  in  America.  The  seven  churches 
of  the  city  and  suburbs  federated  on  Jan.  ist,  1902.  The 
three  cardinal  features  of  this  act  were  set  forth  as  follows : 
"  I.  Each  Uniting  Church  shall  reserve  for  itself  the  control 
of  all  internal  and  purely  local  affairs.  2.  The  United 
Church  shall  undertake  the  maintenance  and  extension  of 
church  work,  the  promotion  of  a  vigorous  denominational 
hfe  and  the  safeguarding  of  interests  common  to  all.  3.  In 
an  Elective  Governing  Body  authority  shall  be  vested  to 
guard  and  promote  the  interests  of  the  United  Church,  and 
combine  its  Christian  activities;  bringing  the  gifts,  the 
sympathies,  and  the  strength  of  a  united  people,  to  bear 
upon  any  department,  needy  branch,  or  neglected  district 
of  the  greater  parish."^ 

A  few  quotations  from  the  Constitution  will  make  the 
details  of  this  movement  clear.  "The  General  Council 
shall  consist  of  the  Pastors  of  the  uniting  Churches, 
together  with  Lay  Delegates  who  shall  be  elected  accord- 

^  Historical  note  prefixed  to  the  published  Constitution.  The  lat- 
ter is  given  in  full  in  Appendix  G, 


FELLOWSHIP    AND     OVERSIGHT  1 33 

ing  to  the  ratio  of  one  delegate  for  every  twenty-five  mem- 
bers or  fraction  thereof.  The  duties  and  province  of  the 
General  Council  shall  be  those  of  an  incorporated  and  legis- 
lative body.  In  matters  affecting  the  common  interests  of 
the  United  Church  or  the  Denomination,  its  legislation 
shall  be  binding  upon  the  Local  Churches.  In  matters 
peculiarly  affecting  the  rights  and  privileges  of  a  Local  Con- 
gregation, its  legislation  shall  be  binding  only  after  its  ratifi- 
cation by  the  Local  Church  affected."  Of  the  congrega- 
tions making  up  the  United  Church,  those  fully  self-sup- 
porting are  called  "Centres,"  and  the  others  "Branches." 
The  General  Treasurer  keeps  a  "Stipend  Account,"  sus- 
tained "  by  monies  allocated  from  the  Union  Grant ;  by 
donations  from  the  Centres ;  by  the  weekly  offerings  of  all 
the  Branches,  less  only  such  amounts  as  may  be  required 
for  the  payment  of  immediate  local  expenses.  These  offer- 
ings shall  be  paid  to  the  General  Treasurer  at  least  once  a 
month,  together  with  a  written  statement  of  all  regular 
receipts  and  expenditures."  "The  salaries  of  Pastors  min- 
istering to  Centres  shall  be  paid  directly  by  the  Centres. 
The  salaries  of  Pastors  ministering  to  Branches  shall  be 
paid  from  the  Stipend  Account.  Minimum  stipends  of 
;^I25  ($625)  shall  be  guaranteed  to  all  Associate  and  Assis- 
tant Pastors.  All  monies  contributed  by  any  Branch  to  the 
Stipend  Account  over  and  above  its  guaranteed  minimum 
shall  be  paid  to  the  pastors  of  such  Branch  at  the  end  of 
each  year,  provided  that  when  the  Stipend  of  the  Minister 
of  any  Branch  reaches  ;^i6o  ($800),  aid  from  the  General 
Treasury  may  be  partially  or  wholly  withdrawn. 

Some  phrases  in  the  Constitution  may  be  a  little  mis- 
leading, but  there  is  nothing  here  that  is  inconsistent  with 
a   true   ecclesiastical   democracy.     The   various    churches 


134       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

become  one  united  church  merely  in  the  ideal  sense.  For 
certain  administrative  purposes  they  act  together  as  one 
body,  but  local  autonomy  and  responsibility  are  preserved. 
Of  the  results  of  this  plan,  Rev.  Loyal  L.  Wirt  writes: 
"After  three  years  the  seven  churches  have  become  ten; 
that  is,  four  new  fields  have  been  entered  and  branch 
churches  established  in  three  of  them ;  and  this  without  any 
increase  in  the  home  mission  grant  (;^ioo).  Five  ministers 
are  now  at  work  where  but  two  could  find  support  under 
the  old  way.  Services  are  held  regularly  in  eleven  places, 
and  I  think  I  am  right  in  saying  that  in  no  case  has  the 
minimum  wage  been  paid.  Our  Constitution  provides  that 
all  monies  in  the  treasury  at  the  end  of  the  year  shall  be 
divided  among  the  assistant  pastors.  This  has  been  done 
each  year,  and  there  has  always  been  something  to 
divide."! 

Returning  to  American  Congregationalism,  we  may  note 
an  experiment  in  the  "collegiate"  plan,  in  the  suburban 
district  north  of  New  York  City.  It  is  known  as  the 
"Westchester  Congregational  Church,"  and  considers  itself 
"one    ecclesiastical  organization  with    two    church   build- 

^ Letter  of  October  12th,  1904.  We  make  a  further  quotation :  "In 
the  Newcastle  experiment  we  simply  leaned  six  pastorless  churches 
against  the  stronger  central  church,  without  disbanding  the  local  dia- 
conates  or  interfering  with  the  local  church  meetings  so  far  as  their 
legislation  was  purely  local.  Then  we  practically  combined  the  seven 
diaconates  into  one  General  Council  which  legislated  for  the  whole 
United  Church  and  each  branch  thereof  in  matters  of  common  concern. 
But  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  by  an  unselfish  giving  up  of  many 
things  on  the  part  of  all,  we  made  of  'common  concern'  matters  which 
heretofore  would  have  been  considered  rights  of  the  individual  church  ; 
e.  g.,  the  settling  and  unsettling  of  pastors,  the  fixing  of  salaries,  buying 
and  selling  of  property,  erection  of  buildings,  opening  up  of  new  work, 
etc." 


FELLOWSHIP    AND     OVERSIGHT  1 35 

ings."  ^  The  present  plan  of  organization  was  adopted 
in  October,  1904.  We  quote  from  article  V  of  the  By- 
Laws,  which  treats  of  the  relation  of  Church  and  Groups. 
"  I.  Powers  of  the  Church.  Among  the  powers  given  to  the 
Church  by  this  Constitution  are  the  following:  To  acquire 
and  maintain  property  to  be  held  in  trust  by  the  Trustees ; 
to  establish  new  places  of  worship  at  such  times  and  in 
such  localities  as  it  may  elect ;  to  call  a  Pastor,  Associate 
Pastor  or  Pastors  and  Missionary  Pastor  or  Pastors ;  to  hold 
an  annual  meeting  when  all  the  Church  and  group  reports 
shall  be  presented,  budgets  accepted,  all  group  elections 
ratified,  and  Trustees,  General  Treasurer  and  Clerk 
elected ;  to  raise  and  disburse  the  general  funds ;  to  consti- 
tute the  final  Court  of  Appeal  in  all  matters  connected  with 
the  Church  and  its  groups.  2.  Division  into  Groups.  For 
convenience  of  public  worship,  this  Church  may  hold  services 
and  acquire  property  in  more  than  one  locality.  Each  group 
may  select  a  local  name  designating  its  group,  which  shall 
be  used  when  ratified  by  the  Church.  The  property  used 
by  each  separate  group,  wherever  located,  shall  belong  to 
the  Church,  and  shall  be  held  in  trust  by  the  Trustees. 
3.  Powers  of  Groups.  Each  separate  group  shall  have  the 
following  powers  :  To  hold  its  separate  communion  service ; 
to  propound  and  elect  members  to  the  Church  ;  to  vote 
letters  of  dismissal  for  and  on  request  of  its  group  members, 
such  letters  to  be  issued  by  the  Clerk  in  the  name  of  the 
Church ;  to  consider  and  manage  its  local  affairs  in  accord- 
ance with  the  provisions  of  this  Constitution  through  its 
local  Committee  or  through  meetings  of  its  members ;  to 
nominate  to   the  Church   the   Pastor  or  Associate  Pastor 

^  Year  Book  of  the  church,  1905.   The  By-Laws  are  printed  in  full 
in  Appendix  H. 


136      DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

who  is  to  minister  particularly  to  that  group ;  to  elect  its 
local  Treasurer  and  quota  of  Deacons,  which  election  shall 
be  ratified  by  the  Church  before  it  becomes  effective  ;  to 
raise  money  for  the  support  of  its  group,  and  to  direct  the 
disbursement  thereof  according  to  budget.  4.  Finances. 
The  income  or  moneys  raised  by  or  on  behalf  of  each  group 
shall  be  applied  first  to  the  ordinary  current  expenses  of 
such  group.  The  Church  Committee  shall  provide  out  of 
the  Church  Extension  Fund  any  deficit  that  may  arise  in 
the  administration  by  any  group  of  its  local  finances, 
provided  it  is  incurred  in  accordance  with  regular  budget 
approved  by  the  Church." 

In  its  practical  results  the  plan  is  proving  remarkably 
successful.  One  of  the  chief  objects  in  such  a  union  was 
that  the  uniting  body  might  be  strong  enough  to  support  a 
foreign  missionary.  They  now  have  not  one  but  two. 
Local  mission  work  has  also  been  pushed  with  vigor.  As 
an  experiment  in  polity  the  plan  is  harder  to  classify  than 
that  of  Newcastle,  the  collegiate  idea  being  so  new  in 
Congregationalism.  These  local  groups  call  themselves 
"churches"^  and  fulfill  most  of  the  functions  proper  to 
churches.  It  is  an  open  question  whether  they  form  one 
Church  for  any  but  administrative  purposes,  that  is, 
whether  they  form  one  "church"  in  any  but  the  ideal 
sense.  If  they  do,  it  is  a  case  of  ecclesia  in  ecciesia,  the  same 
persons  being  members  of  two  churches,  one  local  and  one 
inclusive,  and  submitting  to  the  authority  of  the  inclusive 
body  under  the  security  that  they  themselves  are  members 
of  it  and  entitled  to  a  personal  voice  and  vote.  All  which 
shows  that,  where  churches  have  federated  in  a  small  homo- 

i«The  Congregational  Church  of  White  Plains;"  "The  Congre- 
gational Church  of  Scarsdale." 


FELLOWSHIP    AND     OVERSIGHT  I37 

geneous  district  (these  two  points  are  only  about  four  miles 
apart),  the  distinction  between  a  real  church  and  an  ideal 
church  is  very  difficult  to  draw.  A  real  church  is  a  company 
of  Christians  with  Christ  in  the  midst.  If  we  keep  that 
definition  before  us,  and  hold  each  individual  and  each 
group,  larger  or  smaller,  to  their  personal  responsibility  to 
Him,  anomalies  will  take  care  of  themselves.  This  is  as 
true  today  as  it  was  of  the  house-churches  of  the  New 
Testament. 

The  Branch  Church  offers  the  same  difficulty  of  classifi- 
cation and  the  same  practical  advantages.  Persons  attending 
an  outstation  are  received  into  the  membership  of  the  main 
church,  and  subjected  to  its  control  in  certain  directions, 
while  in  others  acting  as  a  real  church.  The  text  of  one 
such  branch  arrangement,  for  country  work,  is  given  in  the 
Appendix  (I).  At  Mankato,  Minn.,  representatives  from 
the  town  church  held  a  service  in  the  country,  received 
certain  persons  into  their  membership,  and  then  set  them 
apart  as  a  branch,  under  an  agreement  specifying  the  rights 
and  obhgations  of  both  parties.  The  Westchester  church 
grew  out  of  this  relation  of  church  and  branch,  which 
made  easy  a  continuance  of  the  connection  under  the 
new  plan.  But  in  most  cases  the  branch  arrangem^ent 
is  temporary  and  looks  toward  independent  church  hfe 
in  the  branch  at  an  early  period.  It  is  simply  a  means 
of  helping  the  people  in  country  or  suburb  to  help 
themselves,  putting  responsibility  upon  them  as  fast  as 
possible.  Both  the  collegiate  and  branch  plans  have  great 
possibilities. 

Something  of  the  same  results  have  been  achieved, 
notably  in  Chicago,  by  yoking  stronger  and  weaker  churches 
in  a  fellowship  which,   though  not  organic,   is   close  and 


138       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

helpful.  We  give  below  a  description  of  the  effect  of  this 
on  both  parties.^  Many  of  our  Congregational  city  mission- 
ary societies  combine  the  features  of  the  Association  and 
the  Moral  Episcopate.  Truly  we  are  beginning  to  outgrow 
the  independency  of  the  Congregational  middle  ages. 

^Report  of  Chicago  City  Missionary  Society,  1904, — "A  marked 
change  for  the  better  has  come  to  several  mission  churches  by  the 
motherly  care  of  a  stronger  church,  the  strong  church  providing 
teachers  and  furnishing  such  help  in  counsel  and  otherwise  as  was 
needed,  the  money  paid  by  the  stronger  church  for  the  stated  expenses 
and  improvements  of  the  missions  passing  through  our  Society's 
treasury.  Frequent  visits  by  the  pastors  and  members  of  the  larger 
churches  have  put  courage  and  new  life  into  the  missions.  The  results 
have  been  very  noticeable,  not  only  in  increased  attendance  in  all  the 
services  of  the  aided  churches  with  additions  to  membership,  but  much 
larger  donations  from  the  strong  churches  with  such  an  uplift  in 
interest  and  spiritual  vision  as  was  not  thought  possible  before  it  was 
tried." 


CHAPTER   X 

rHE   MINISTRY 

We  pass  to  a  consideration  of  the  ministry,  in  its  various 
aspects,  and  especially  in  its  relation  to  the  local  church. 
We  begin  with  Christ's  conception  of  the  ministry.  "Be 
not  ye  called  Rabbi,  for  one  is  your  teacher,  and  all  ye 
are  brethren.  .  .  .  Neither  be  ye  called  masters,  for  one 
is  your  master,  even  the  Christ.  But  he  that  is  greatest 
among  you  shall  be  your  servant  (Greek,  minister).^"  As 
some  one  has  beautifully  expressed  it,  in  the  church  of 
Christ  there  were  to  be  no  offices,  but  only  services.  There 
was  no  place  for  "rulers,"  in  the  poHtical  sense,  where 
Christ  continued  to  rule  directly  through  the  consciousness 
of  His  followers.  There  was  no  place  for  special  priests, 
where  all  through  Christ  had  immediate  access  to  God. 

The  early  churches  preserved  this  democratic  ideal  and 
the  thought  of  the  universal  priesthood  of  believers.  They 
developed  a  ministry^  not  an  order  of  priests.  Gifts  and 
service  were  the  two  qualifications  for  leadership,  both  for 
the  local  office-bearers  and  for  the  ministry  at  large.  (There 
is,  of  course,  no  trace  of  a  regular  paid  ministry  in  the 
modern  sense.  The  ministry  was  not  a  profession  any  more 
than  it  was  a  priesthood.)  Even  after  the  localizing  of 
the  prophetic  ministry  in  the  administrative  board  the  con- 
ception of  the  ministry  was  not  essentially  altered.  In  a 
iMatt.  23:8f.    Cf.  ante,  p.  13  f. 

(139) 


I40       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

Christian  church  a  minister  of  any  sort  (and  there  were 
many  sorts)  was  not  its  master  but  its  servant,  called  of 
God  and  of  the  church  to  do  a  special  work  of  leadership, 
oversight  and  edification.  He  was  only  first  among  equals. 
He  had  only  a  moral  authority,  in  which  each  member 
shared.  He  had  no  special  powers  except  those  which  he 
derived  from  the  church. 

The  various  congregational  bodies  have  attempted  to 
follow  the  same  principles,  applying  them  (by  extension)  to 
the  professional  ministry  which  they  probably  thought  was 
present  in  the  New  Testament  Church.  It  is  interesting 
to  note  that  the  Barrowist  churches,  though  aristocratic  in 
their  idea  of  the  ministerial  office  (the  college  of  elders), 
were  extremely  democratic  in  their  idea  of  the  minister 
himself,  whether  pastor  or  elder.  There  was  no  sacred 
caste,  to  which  the  minister  was  admitted  at  ordination  and 
always  belonged  unless  unfrocked.  The  ministry  was  simply 
a  rank  of  service.  When  the  pastor  or  elder  ceased  to  serve 
a  particular  church,  he  ceased,  strictly  speaking,  to  be  a 
minister. 

We  have  seen  the  break-down  of  the  Barrowist  theory 
of  the  ministerial  office,  with  some  confusion  of  ideas 
resulting.  Where  do  we  stand  to-day,  or  rather,  where 
should  we  stand  ?  The  modern  Congregational  theory  of 
the  ministry  is  purely  democratic,  if  the  churches  may  be 
considered  as  still  standing  on  the  Platform  of  1865.  But  it 
is  an  open  question  whether  they  do.  Contact  with  other 
denominations  holding  semi-sacerdotal  theories  of  the  min- 
istry, especially  the  coming  of  their  ministers  into  our  body, 
has  brought  a  confusion  of  ideas  or  increased  a  confusion 
that  already  existed.  Moreover,  a  proper  adjustment  of 
Christ's  principles  has  never  been  made  to  the  professional 


THE     MINISTRY  I4I 

one-man  ministry  of  modern  timgs.  This  we  proceed  to 
attempt, 

I.  From  the  standpoint  of  Christ's  teachings,  and  from 
His  abiding  functions  in  the  Church,  no  other  theory  of  the 
ministry  is  possible  than  that  enunciated  by  our  National 
Council  at  Boston  in  1865,  "that  the  ministry  of  the  gospel 
by  members  of  the  churches  who  have  been  duly  called  and 
set  apart  to  that  work  implies  in  itself  no  power  of  govern- 
ment, and  that  ministers  of  the  gospel  not  elected  to  office 
in  any  church  are  not  a  hierarchy,  nor  are  they  invested 
with  any  official  power  in  or  over  the  churches."  ^  It  does 
not  matter  what  the  ministry  may  be  —  pastors,  elders, 
deacons,  Sunday-school  superintendents, — it  does  not  matter 
how  many  ministers  there  are  in  any  particular  church,  or 
whether  their  service  is  professional  or  voluntary.  A  minister 
in  a  Christian  church  is  simply  its  servant  (the  term  "hired 
man"  we  approve  not)  and  derives  all  the  powers  he 
possesses  from  the  church  which  calls  him  for  service. 
This  is  not  to  lower  the  ministry,  but,  on  Christ's  view,  to 
exalt  it.  It  is  not  to  debase  the  "ministry  of  the  gospel"  to 
the  level  of  the  teacher  of  a  Sunday-school  class  or  the 
janitor.  It  is  to  raise  the  work  of  janitor  or  Sunday-school 
teacher  to  a  divinely  endowed  and  acceptable  service,  as 
much  so  as  the  ministry  of  the  Word. 

Looking  at  the  Ministry  in  the  modern  specific  sense,  it 
is  nothing  less  and  can  be  nothing  more  than  a  rank  of 
service.  One  is  qualified  for  it  by  gifts,  by  training,  by 
experience;  these,  on  the  Christian  doctrine  of  the  Spirit, 
constitute  his  inward  call.  But  he  enters  it  only  through 
the  call  of  some  Christian  company,  itself  presumptively  an 
act  in  which  Christ's  Spirit  was  concerned.  Imposition  of 
^See  ante,  p.  71. 


142       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

hands  is  the  recognition  of  this  double  call,  the  solemn 
setting  apart  of  the  man  chosen  by  a  particular  church  to 
be  its  spiritual  shepherd  and  administrative  head.  This  act 
confers  on  him  no  gifts  he  did  not  have  before.  It  gives 
him  no  priestly  rights  of  his  own.  It  is  simply  the  formal 
transference  to  him  of  the  priestly  functions  of  the  church, 
such  as  the  administration  of  Baptism  and  the  Lord's 
Supper  (we  might  add  marriage  and  burial),  and  places  upon 
him  the  responsibility  for  preaching  the  Wprd  and  shepherd- 
ing the  flock,  for  presiding  at  the  church's  meetings  and 
watching  over  its  welfare.  This  transference  is  simply  for 
the  time  being  and  for  the  sake  of  order  and  efficiency.  It 
does  not  per  se  relieve  the  other  Christians  of  their  priestly 
functions.  When  occasion  requires,  any  member  of  the 
church  may  be  appointed  to  administer  the  sacraments,  or 
preach  or  preside.  For  such  an  important  act  as  the  setting 
apart  of  a  man  to  be  its  pastor,  the  church  may  properly 
seek  the  advice  and  assistance  of  sister  churches.  But  this 
advice  and  assistance  are  not  necessary  for  the  act.  Each 
church  is  fully  quahfied  to  act  alone.  "Ordination,"  to 
borrow  the  current  term,  is  in  essence  the  act  of  the  church 
over  which  the  pastor  is  ordained.  Nothing  but  expediency 
can  prevent  a  particular  church  from  setting  apart  one  of 
its  own  members  to  be  its  pastor,  even  though  he  be  with- 
out previous  training  and  experience. 

Any  other  theory  of  the  ministry  than  this  runs  counter 
to  the  law  of  Christ.  If  we  have  departed  from  it,  it  is 
time  we  were  harking  the  churches  back.  We  make  some 
suggestions  toward  correcting  latent  tendencies  to  sacerdo- 
talism in  the  Congregational  churches.  We  need  first  a 
revision  of  terms.  "Ordination,"  with  its  implication  of  an 
ordo  clericalisy  should  be  replaced  by  some  term  signifying 


THE    MINISTRY  I43 

installation  in  an  office  or  service.  There  shoulcl  be  no  dis- 
tinction in  term  or  form  between  a  man's  formal  induction 
into  the  ministry  of  his  first  church,  and  his  later  induction 
into  the  ministry  of  another  church.  The  act  is  essentially 
the  same,  whatever  differences  may  be  necessary  in  the  pre- 
vious examination.  We  must  revive  the  practice  of  a  formal 
installation  (if  possible,  with  the  assistance  of  other 
churches)  at  each  entrance  on  a  ministry.  As  the  induc- 
tion into  office  is  properly  the  act  of  the  church  itself,  the 
church  should  have  a  part  in  the  laying  on  of  hands, 
through  some  of  its  members  designated  for  the  purpose. 
For  a  Council  to  refuse  this  right  or  to  confine  the  impo- 
sition of  hands  to  its  ministerial  members  is  not  only  unwar- 
ranted but  fraught  with  the  gravest  danger.  Christ  wishes 
no  order  of  priests  in  His  church.  In  each  Christian  com- 
pany, let  the  "laymen"  (here  again  we  need  a  revision  of 
terms)  insist  upon  their  rights;  and  let  the  "clergy"  dele- 
gated to  a  Council  read  some  selected  portions  of  the  New 
Testament  before  starting.^ 

II.  The  introduction  into  the  modern  Church  of  a  pro- 
fessional ministry,  while  it  does  not  change  the  theory  of 
the  ministry  one  whit,  must  bring  some  modifications  of 
practice.  Probably  no  one  today  would  deny  that  a  regular 
paid  ministry  is  advisable.  It  seems  to  be  for  the  best  inter- 
est of  a  church  to  have  one  man  give  all  his  time  to  its 
shepherding.  And  when  this  step  is  taken,  the  questions 
of  ministerial  qualifications  and  ministerial  standing  at  once 
emerge.    The  quality  of  a  pastor's  spiritual  leadership  is  of 

^One  other  suggestion  might  be  made  for  completeness,  though 
the  practice  is  generally  honored  in  the  Congregational  churches,  that 
the  minister  must  become  a  member  of  the  church  to  which  he  minis- 
ters.   For  Congregational  usage  cf.  Dexter  569  ff. 


144       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

such  importance  that  specially  trained  men  arc  needed  for 
the  office.  And  one  who  submits  to  this  training  must 
expect  to  continue  in  the  ministerial  service  of  the  churches 
for  Hfe,  or  at  least  for  the  period  of  good  behavior  and  use- 
fulness. "  Ordination "  is  not  for  life  but  for  term  of  ser- 
vice, so  there  is  no  theoretical  reason  v^^hy  a  person  should 
not  be  "ordained"  with  the  expectation  of  passing  into 
some  other  work  after  a  period  of  years.  The  objection  to 
this  is  not  theoretical  but  practical.  To  secure  the  best 
results  the  ministry  must  be  a  profession  as  well  as  a  calling. 

"Ordination"  of  a  minister  by  one  church  serves  as  a 
certain  guarantee  of  fitness.  When  taken  in  connection 
with  his  whole  record  of  service  up  to  the  present,  it  certi- 
fies his  fitness  to  minister  in  the  churches  which  might 
wish  to  call  him.  So  much  harm  has  been  done  by  tramp 
preachers  that  a  certified  record  is  of  the  utmost  importance. 
This  function  of  certifying  ministers  has  come  into  the 
hands  of  the  Ministerial  Associations  of  Eastern  Congrega- 
tionalism, and,  better,  the  local  Conferences  of  Western. 
To  retain  their  good  standing  before  the  churches  to  which 
they  may  be  called,  ministers  must  keep  their  membership 
in  one  of  these  associations.  When  the  association  is  con- 
scientious in  its  work  and  keeps  close  watch  over  the 
record  of  ministers  applying  for  admission  or  transfer,  the 
results  are  fairly  satisfactory.  The  laxness  of  so  many  asso- 
ciations in  certifying  to  ministerial  standing  is  one  source 
of  danger.  Another  is  the  little  heed  paid  to  such  minis- 
terial standing  by  the  churches  calling  pastors. 

Probably  the  defense  against  these  dangers  is  to  be 
found,  as  Dr.  Ross  suggested  years  ago,^  in  extending  the 
powers  of  the  local  Conference.  In  most  parts  of  the  coun- 
IC/.  The  Church  Kingdom,  154  ff;  281  ff, 


THE     MINISTRY  I45 

try  it  already  has  the  function  of  licensing  preachers  for  a 
term,  who  are  then  on  trial  for  that  term.  As  licensure 
practically  means  "ordination"  following,  the  local  Confer- 
ence must  be  given  control  of  "ordination"  also,  if  the 
ministry  of  the  churches  is  to  be  properly  safeguarded.  The 
ordaining  council  pro  re  nata  is  very  unsatisfactory.  As 
Professor  Nash  says:  "Over  some  case  of  ministerial  deHn- 
quency  or  impotence  we  ask.  Who  ordained  this  man  ?  A 
council  in  northeastern  Maine  or  southwestern  California. 
Write  that  council  and  chargeback  its  blunder  upon  it; 
bid  it  recall  those  ordination  papers  and  terminate  the  mis- 
chievous or  ineffective  career.  Impossible ;  the  deed  was 
done  by  an  agency  irresponsible,  because  too  short-lived  to 
be  brought  to  account,  created  for  the  work  of  an  hour 
with  endless  consequences,  and  falling  apart  beyond  recall 
before  sunset.  It  gave  the  ordained  man  the  sole  copy  of 
credentials  good  for  a  Hfetime  to  the  ends  of  the  Congre- 
gationalist  earth  and  beyond.  It  sent  no  records  to  a 
responsible  custodian.  And  yet  there  is  a  thoroughly  Con- 
gregational and  representative  body,  dignified,  stable,  inclu- 
sive of  all  the  neighboring  churches  and  ministers  and 
responsible  for  all,  possessing  all  the  prerogatives  and 
machinery  for  ordination.  ...  It  writes  such  deeds  in 
permanent  records.  It  is  more  cautious,  because  it  studies 
constantly  the  interests  entrusted  to  it,  and  because  it 
must  answer  any  day  for  the  deeds  it  has  done.  It  can  be 
called  together  as  readily  as  a  council.  Holding  stated  meet- 
ings, it  need  not  for  every  case  be  called  in  extra  session."^ 

'^Association  and  Council,  14.  On  Sept.  20,  1904,  the  Bay  Asso- 
ciation, already  referred  to,  acted  as  a  Council  for  the  ordination  of 
two  young  men,  by  request  of  the  First  Church  of  Berkeley.  This  is 
not  the  first  instance  of  such  practice. 


146       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

Let  us  not  be  misunderstood.  When  we  advocate  ordi- 
nation by  the  local  association,  discharging  some  of  the 
functions  of  an  ecclesiastical  council,  we  probably  use 
"ordination"  in  a  different  sense  from  the  writer  quoted. 
We  have  taken  a  term  in  common  use  simply  because  a 
better  terminology  is  not  yet  forthcoming.  "Ordination," 
whether  by  council  or  by  association,  cannot  make  a  minis- 
ter. Nothing  will  do  that  but  actual  ministration.  Who- 
ever ministers  is  a  minister,  wherever,  to  whomsoever,  and 
with  or  without  previous  formalities.  But  he  must  be  min- 
istering. As  Increase  Mather  put  it:  "To  say  that  a  wan- 
dering Levite  who  has  no  flock  is  a  pastor,  is  as  good  sense 
as  to  say  that  he  that  has  no  children  is  a  father."^  One 
great  cause  of  the  evils  which  Professor  Nash  justly  con- 
demns has  been  the  un-Congregational  notion,  so  widely 
prevalent,  of  an  "order  of  the  ministry,"  to  which  men  are 
admitted  by  formal  ordination.  All  that  a  council,  or  an 
association  acting  in  its  stead,  can  properly  do,  is  to  guar- 
antee the  fitness  to  minister. 

What  we  wish  to  see  is  something  like  this.  A  candi- 
date, with  or  without  previous  Hcensure,  comes  before  the 
Conference,  is  examined  as  to  his  belief,  qualifications  and 
record,  and  by  the  body  certified  and  accredited  to  any 
churches  that  may  see  fit  to  call  him.  He  is  thenceforward 
a  "qualified  minister."  Instead  of  "examined  for  ordi- 
nation," we  suggest  the  term  "examined  for  ministry,"  and 
instead  of  "ordained  to  the  ministry,"  the  term  "accredited 
to  minister  in  the  churches."  It  would  be  proper  for  the 
body  to  add  a  solemn  service  of  consecration  to  the  vocation 
of  ministering,  as  he  may  afterward  have  occasion  to 
exercise  it.  Such  examination  and  accrediting  can  be  done 
1  Order  of  the  Gospel,  102  ;  Walker,  Creeds y  478. 


THE    MINISTRY  I47 

much  better  by  a  Conference  than  by  a  Council,  for  the 
reasons  already  stated.  The  examinations  could  take  place 
at  a  regular  meeting  of  the  Conference.  When  a  "qualified 
minister"  enters  the  regular  ministry  of  a  church,  he  should 
be  formally  installed,  with  the  laying  on  of  hands,  a  council 
assisting  or  not  as  seems  best.  He  would  hold  his  stand- 
ing as  quahfied  to  minister,  until  this  was  recalled  for 
cause.  The  Conference  already  has  the  function  of  guar- 
anteeing the  standing  of  ministers  when  once  accredited. 
If  we  add  the  function  of  fitting  ministers  to  churches,  as 
suggested  in  the  last  chapter,  the  safeguarding  of  the  Con- 
gregational ministry  would  seem  to  be  complete,  as  far  as 
machinery  can  make  it  so.  We  beheve  that  the  churches 
are  ready  for  these  changes  and  would  welcome  them.^ 
They  involve,  for  the  local  church,  not  the  surrendering  of 
a  right,  but  the  holding  it  in  abeyance  for  prudential 
reasons.  Such  changes  must  come  gradually  and  might 
never  be  universally  accepted. 

The  method  of  entering  the  ministry  which  we  have 
proposed  would  solve  some  of  the  anomalies  in  present 
Congregational  practice.  Take,  for  instance,  the  vexed 
question  of  "ordination  at  large,"  as  an  evangelist,  or  as  a 
missionary,  or  before  going  to  a  particular  charge.    The 

^The  committee  appointed  by  the  Wisconsin  Association  in  1904 
recommended  that  local  associations  have  power  to  review  ordination  by 
council  or  ordination  in  another  denomination  before  enrollment  in  the 
list  of  Congregational  ministers.  This  is  a  desirable  change,  which 
must  follow  from  making  the  local  association  a  supply  bureau.  Its 
functions  at  present  are  purely  mechanical.  To  say  {Congregationalist, 
Aug.  20th,  1904)  that  this  "looks  toward  a  depreciation  of  the  council 
of  the  vicinage,"  is  to  treat  that  council  of  the  vicinage  as  if  it  were  an 
ecclesiastical  body  that  ordained  a  man  for  life.    See  Appendix  F. 

Cf.  the  Michigan  proposals,  Part  I,  as  given  in  Appendix  E. 


148      DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

action  of  the  accrediting  body  does  not  make  such  person  a 
minister ;  it  simply  accredits  him  to  the  churches,  as  one 
qualified  to  minister  when  occasions  arise,  something  which 
is  eminently  proper  and  necessary.  So  with  professors  in 
theological  seminaries,  and  all  ministers  without  charge  for 
a  longer  or  shorter  period.  They  are  still  qualified  to 
minister,  if  their  membership  in  some  local  Conference 
holds  good.  It  would  be  possible  also  for  the  Conference  to 
distinguish  between  the  kinds  and  grades  of  ministerial 
service,  both  for  such  a  ministry  at  large  as  that  of  an 
evangelist  (a  very  necessary  step,  to  protect  the  sheepf olds), 
and  for  various  kinds  of  "lay-preaching."  We  use  this  term 
for  lack  of  a  better.  Lay-preaching  has  been  too  much 
neglected  in  most  of  the  modern  churches.  A  revival  of  the 
practice,  both  for  men  and  women,  not  only  as  an  informal 
service  but  as  a  recognized  order  of  ministry,  would  help 
solve  the  problem  of  country  fields.  Examination  by  the 
Conference  and  accrediting  as  a  lay-preacher  might  also 
serve,  in  many  cases,  as  a  first  step  toward  the  regular 
ministry,  for  which  they  might  be  fitted  after  a  period  of 
properly  directed  study  and  the  experience  gained  in  service. 
Until  the  Seminaries  vastly  increase  their  output,  we  shall 
need  these  men  for  our  churches,  and  this  plan  would  pre- 
vent them  from  entering  the  ministry  by  a  short  cut,  as  at 
present.  A  clear  distinction  could  be  drawn  in  credentials 
between  "qualified  minister"  and  "quaHfied  lay-preacher," 
or  whatever  terms  are  used. 

III.  The  narrowing  of  the  ministry  of  a  church  to  one 
man,  though  necessary  in  smaller  fields,  has  been  a  distinct 
loss  in  the  larger.  The  Episcopal  churches  may  teach  us 
much  in  the  matter  of  multiplying  the  ministry  which 
serves  a  city  parish.    Our  own  churches  are  slowly  learning 


THE     MINISTRY  I49 

the  value  of  associate  and  assistant  pastors,  and  other 
recognized  ranks  of  service  for  both  sexes.  This  requires 
no  modification  of  the  Congregational  theory  of  the 
ministry.  In  fact,  it  may  exemphfy  Christ's  ideal  much 
better  than  the  one-man  ministry  can  do. 

IV.  The  relation  of  the  minister  to  his  church  is  a 
matter  of  great  importance,  as  it  involves  the  nature  of  the 
church  in  its  activity,  and  hence  in  its  very  being.  Many 
Congregational  churches  are  such  only  in  name.  They 
might  as  well  be  governed  by  synod  or  priest  for  all  the 
Christian  democracy  there  is  in  them.  "  Un-Congregational 
pastors  joined  to  Un-Congregational  churches"  furnish  as 
great  a  travesty  on  Democracy  as  the  South  American 
republic. 

We  must  remember  what  Dr.  Gladden  calls  the  organ- 
izing principle  of  the  Christian  Church, — "such  a  union 
with  Christ,  the  Head,  as  brings  the  members  into  vital 
relation  with  one  another."^  In  the  words  of  Paul,  "Ye 
are  the  body  of  Christ,  and  severally  members  thereof," 
each  in  his  own  part.^  "For  even  as  we  have  many 
members  in  one  body,  and  all  the  members  have  not  the 
same  office,  so  we,  who  are  many,  are  one  body  in  Christ, 
and  severally  members  one  of  another."^  We  must  keep 
before  us  Paul's  conception  of  the  gifts  of  the  ever-present 
Spirit,  dividing  to  each  one  severally  as  He  will.  To  one 
the  gift  of  preaching,  to  others  the  gift  of  song,  to  others 
the  gift  of  teaching  or  administration.  Some  gift  to  each, 
however  humble  it  may  be.  Each  supplementing  the 
other,  Christ  in  each  and  Christ  in  all,  so  that  together 
they  make  up  the  glorious  body  of  the  Lord. 

^The  Christian  Pastor  and  the  Working  Church,  25. 
'i  Cor.  12:27.  ^Rom.  12:  4  f. 


150       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

A  professional  one-man  ministry  cannot  change  this 
ideal  of  the  church,  this  organic  law  of  its  churchly  life. 
It  may  make  the  realization  of  the  ideal  in  some  ways 
harder.  But  it  should  furnish  the  trained  leadership  which 
makes  it  possible  for  the  modern  church  to  approach  the 
ideal.  The  problem  is  that  of  Democracy  everywhere,  how 
to  develop  the  individual  by  putting  responsibility  upon 
him.  We  proceed  to  offer  some  suggestions,  grouping  the 
activities  of  the  church,  for  convenience,  under  four 
general  heads, — life,  worship,  work  and  government. 

(a)  The  life  of  the  church. — As  the  life  of  the  church  is, 
in  its  foundation,  the  Christian  life  of  the  individual  mem- 
bers, the  emphasis  must  be  on  the  highest  attainable  stan- 
dard of  life  for  the  individual  member.  This  is  true  of  all 
churches,  whatever  their  polity.  The  particular  theory  of 
the  ministry  has  nothing  to  do  with  it.  The  life  of  a 
church  is  not  complete  unless  each  member  is  living,  pur- 
posefully, eagerly,  toward  "the  measure  of  the  stature  of 
the  fullness  of  Christ."  But  the  importance  of  the  individual 
is  magnified  on  a  polity  that  brings  the  believer  face  to 
face  with  Christ,  that  allows  no  human  machinery  of  priests 
or  creeds  or  rules  between  him  and  his  Lord.  A  vital  per- 
sonal religion  in  every  member  is  essential.  Democracy  in 
the  Church  was  born  and  has  been  repeatedly  re-born  in  a 
revival.  As  Increase  Mather  said,  "The  Congregational 
church  discipline  is  not  suited  for  a  worldly  interest,  or  for 
a  formal  generation  of  professors.  It  will  stand  or  fall  as 
godliness  in  the  power  of  it  does  prevail  or  otherwise."  ^ 
The  pulpit  must  emphasize  and  the  pew  must  recognize 
"the  continuous  leadership  of  the  Holy  Spirit,"  to  whom 
each  believer  is  personally  responsible  for  his  conduct,  for 
his  hfe  as  a  member  of  Christ's  body. 

^  Order  of  the  Gospel,  11 ;  Dexter,  488. 


THE     MINISTRY  I51 

And  we  must  emphasize  in  our  churches,  not  only  the 
relation  of  each  member  to  Christ,  but  the  relation  to  one 
another  which  follows  from  it.  In  a  Congregational  church 
there  must  be  mutual  acquaintance  and  mutual  interest. 
"The  church  must  not  be  so  large  as  to  defeat  the  very 
purpose  of  its  organization."^  Social  and  class  distinctions 
in  a  Congregational  church  are  intolerable.  In  the  words  of 
Dr.  Gordon:  "Here  we  are  confronted  by  our  greatest 
opportunity.  In  the  stern  days  that  are  upon  us,  in  the 
terrible  trial  of  strength  between  capital  and  labor,  there  is 
an  immeasurable  opportunity  for  the  church  that  appeals  to 
man  as  man,  that  is  no  respecter  of  persons,  that  claims 
Lazarus  the  beggar  as  a  son  of  God,  that  reminds  Dives 
that  he  is  nothing  more,  and  that  seeks  by  the  Gospel  of 
the  Divine  Man  to  lift  human  society  into  the  mood  and 
power  of  brotherhood."^ 

(b)  The  worship  of  the  church. — "There  are  diversities  of 
gifts,  but  the  same  Spirit."  The  pastor  is  called  to  preach 
the  gospel  and  lead  the  church  in  prayer;  the  members  of 
the  choir  to  lead  its  singing.  They  feel  it  their  duty  to  be 
present,  sunshine  or  rain.  It  is  no  more  their  duty  than  it 
is  that  of  the  humblest  member.  When  any  member  of  the 
body  of  Christ  absents  himself  without  due  cause  from  the 
common  worship  of  the  church,  his  own  spiritual  Hfe 
suffers,  but  the  spiritual  Hfe  of  the  body  suffers  more.  In  a 
Congregational  church  the  pastor  and  the  choir  cannot  do 
the  worshipping  for  the  members.  These  also  have  a  gift  of 
the  Spirit  to  be  exercised,  an  equal  part  in  all  that  is  done 

1  Gladden,  op.  cit.,  25;  Cf.  ante,  p.  82,  etc. 

'G.  A.  Gordon,  Denominational  Memories,  31.  An  address 
delivered  at  the  50th  anniversary  of  the  American  Congregational 
Association,  Boston,  1903. 


152       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

in  God's  house,  as  the  church  meets  in  the  spirit  of  Christ. 
If  there  is  one  who  does  not  join  his  voice  with  the  singing, 
his  heart  with  the  prayer,  his  thought  with  the  preacher's 
message,  just  so  far  the  worship  of  the  church  is  incomplete. 
The  whole  church  is  not  worshipping,  but  the  whole  church 
lacking  one.  It  may  be  that  we  shall  need  to  enrich 
the  worship  of  our  churches.  But  any  enrichment  must  be 
in  the  direction  of  congregational  participation  under  inspir- 
ing leadership,  rather  than  in  the  direction  of  solo  work  by 
choir  or  pastor.  The  importance  of  the  prayer-meeting  in 
a  Congregational  church  is  evident,  as  giving  others  besides 
the  pastor  the  opportunity  to  exercise  their  gifts  of  speech 
or  prayer,  and  to  develop  their  spiritual  life  by  means  of 
expression.  It  is  a  sad  state  of  affairs  in  a  Congregational 
church  when  a  Sunday  service  must  be  given  up  because 
the  pastor  is  absent.  It  means  that  one  man  has  been  cen- 
tering in  his  own  human  self  all  the  activities  of  the  church 
on  the  side  of  worship  and  edification. 

(c)  The  work  of  the  church. — It  is  here  that  the  pro- 
fessional one-man  ministry  has  wrought  most  havoc  with 
democracy.  In  many  of  our  churches,  particularly  the 
smaller,  the  minister  has  done  everything,  except  pay  the 
bills,  and  often  he  has  helped  to  do  that.  The  members 
have  settled  down  comfortably  to  letting  him  do  everything. 
Was  not  that  what  they  employed  him  for?  The  whole 
conception  of  the  church  as  a  working  body  has  been  lost. 
But  this  is  not  Congregationalism.  It  is  hard  to  say  what 
it  is;  original  sin  perhaps.  "Members  in  particular,"  Paul 
says.  To  each  member  Christ  gives  some  special  task,  if  he 
will  only  open  his  eyes  and  see  it.  The  whole  body  suffers, 
Christ  suffers,  if  there  is  one  single  member  who  is  not  doing 
with  his  might  some  work  which  his  hand  finds  to  do.  We 


THE    MINISTRY  1 53 

commend  to  the  churches  Dr.  Gladden's  book,  before 
quoted,  "The  Christian  Pastor  and  the  Working  Church." 
The  very  title  of  the  book  is  suggestive.  The  function  of 
the  pastor  is  not  to  do  the  work  of  the  church,  with  the 
assistance  of  officers  and  committees,  but  to  inspire,  orga- 
nize and  direct  the  activities  of  the  membership.  This  is 
especially  true  of  the  church  as  an  evangelizing  agent,  of 
which  we  shall  speak  again.  In  the  matter  of  the  church's 
support  and  benevolence,  the  weekly  offering  system  is  of 
great  value  in  cultivating  individual  interest  and  responsi- 
bility. 

(d)  The  government  of  the  church. — Each  member  of  a 
Congregational  church  is  responsible  for  its  administration 
in  accordance  with  the  will  of  Christ.  It  is  easier,  no  doubt, 
to  leave  the  management  of  a  church,  its  discipHne,  the 
planning  for  its  present  and  its  future,  in  the  hands  of  a 
few.  That  is  why  men  have  been  so  long  content  to  obey 
popes  and  bishops  and  elders.  But  we  are  called  to  obey 
Christ,  even  if  this  be  harder.  We  take  literally  His  com- 
mand that  we  shall  know  no  other  Master.  It  is  in  getting 
the  individual  to  take  an  interest  and  a  part  in  the  govern- 
ment that  democracies,  whether  in  Church  or  State,  meet 
the  greatest  difficulty.  And  the  difficulty  increases  with  the 
size  of  the  church.  No  doubt  much  routine  business  must 
be,  and  can  safely  be,  transacted  in  private  by  the  Prudential 
Committee  or  the  Trustees.  But  for  important  matters, 
such  as  the  admission,  dismissal  and  discipline  of  members, 
the  choice  of  officers,  general  poHcy  of  work,  etc.,  a  mass- 
meeting  would  seem  to  be  essential.  Perhaps  the  pastor  or 
a  committee  could  handle  such  matters  better ;  their  counsel 
must  have  weight  even  in  a  mass-meeting.  But  if  we  are 
to  live  up  to  Christ's  ideal,  we  must  insist  on  the  actual 


154       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

participation  of  each  member  in  the  government  of  the 
church.  We  must  emphasize  the  fact  that  such  participa- 
tion is  a  rehgious  act ;  that  he  is  serving  as  a  direct  vice- 
regent  of  Christ,  carrying  out  His  w^ill.  A  church  will  never 
be  so  large  but  what  a  mass-meeting  of  the  whole  member- 
ship is  possible,  with  the  opportunity  for  frank  discussion, 
and  a  vote  by  ballot  on  important  questions.  The  effect  of 
this  in  cultivating  individual  interest  and  responsibility  is  very 
great.  It  is  seldom  wise  to  hold  such  a  meeting  in  connec- 
tion with  the  regular  Sunday  worship  of  the  church.  The 
mid-week  prayer-meeting  it  not  generally  representative. 
Some  churches  hold  a  regular  monthly  business  meeting, 
taking  the  place  of  the  prayer-meeting  for  that  night.  If  the 
church  is  really  doing  business,  and  if  the  meeting  is  properly 
advertised,  prepared  for  and  handled,  such  a  gathering 
ought  to  become  representative  enough  to  be  a  power  in 
the  church's  life.  The  annual  meeting,  with  its  roll-call  of 
the  membership  and  reports  on  all  activities  of  the  church, 
could  be  made  the  great  meeting  of  the  ecclesiastical  year. 
It  certainly  should  be  so,  if  the  principal  object  of  the  church 
is  to  do  the  Master's  business  in  the  world. 

We  add  a  note  as  to  voting.  In  a  Congregational  church 
it  would  seem  as  if  every  member  should  have  the  right  to 
vote  (and  to  speak)  in  its  meetings.  If  boys  and  girls  are 
old  enough  to  join  the  church  and  intelligently  take  its 
covenant,  they  are  old  enough  to  vote  intelligently  on  ques- 
tions that  come  before  it.  This  is  part  of  the  fulfilment  of 
their  covenant.  Of  course,  where  a  church  is  incorporated, 
a  vote  on  financial  matters  is  limited  by  law  to  those  mem- 
bers of  the  corporation  who  are  of  age.  Of  the  proper 
right  of  women  to  take  part  in  a  church  meeting,  it  seems 
unnecessary  to  speak  at  the  present  day. 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE   BAPTISMAL    COVENANT 

Some  reference  to  Baptism  seems  to  be  necessary  in  a 
study  of  Congregational  polity,  in  connection  with  the 
covenant  and  church  membership.  We  believe  also  that 
this  sacrament  is  not  given  the  importance  it  deserves,  in 
many  Congregational  churches.  Baptism  of  adults  is  a  form 
connected  with  their  admission  to  membership,  but  a  form 
without  a  great  deal  of  meaning.  Baptism  of  children, 
while  quite  generally  believed  in,  is  a  custom  more  honored 
in  the  breach  than  in  the  observance.  A  haze  surrounds 
the  whole  subject,  as  from  our  past  history  was  perhaps 
inevitable.  We  believe  that  a  brief  discussion  of  the  theory 
of  Baptism  which  most  (perhaps  not  all)  Congregational- 
ists  derive  from  Christ  may  be  helpful,  even,  if  charitably 
read,  to  those  with  whom  we  agree  to  differ. 

Let  us  dispose  at  the  outset  of  one  question  upon  which 
bitter  controversy  has  often  arisen.  Baptism  would  have 
been  less  a  cause  for  strife  and  division  in  the  Christian 
church  if  men  in  the  past  had  been  more  open-minded  in 
their  study  of  history,  the  history  both  of  New  Testament 
times  and  of  later  centuries.  As  to  the  primitive  form  of 
Baptism,  there  has  been,  since  the  discovery  of  the  D'tdachcy 
a  quite  general  agreement   among  competent   historians.^ 

*  Diet.  Christian  Antiquities,  art.  Baptism;  cf.  the  evidence  given 
by  Schaff,  Teaching  of  the  Tnvel've  Apostles,  chaps.  XV-XVII.  The 
historical  evidence  is  for  trine  immersion. 

(155) 


156       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

The  baptism  practiced  by  the  Jews,  practiced  by  Christ's 
disciples,  practiced  by  the  whole  Christian  Church  for  about 
thirteen  hundred  years,  was  baptism  by  immersion.  Not 
invariably  so,  but  this  was  the  form  ordinarily  followed. 
Pouring  or  sprinkling  was  used  in  the  case  of  sick  persons, 
and  where  there  was  not  sufficient  water  for  immersion. 
How  common  these  other  forms  were  we  do  not  know. 
The  Didache,  or  Teaching  of  the  Twelve  Apostles,  which 
may  be  dated  roughly  near  the  beginning  of  the  second 
century,  says:  "Baptize  ...  in  running  water.  But  if 
thou  hast  not  running  water,  baptize  in  other  water.  .  .  . 
But  if  thou  hast  neither,  pour  water  upon  the  head  thrice."^ 
The  Eastern  branches  of  the  Christian  Church  have 
continued  to  practice  immersion  until  the  present  day. 
But  from  the  thirteenth  century  onward,  pouring  or 
sprinkling  became  the  general  rule  in  the  Western  branch 
of  the  Church,  from  which  we  are  descended.  The  change 
was  natural,  and  we  think  legitimate.  Immersion  demanded 
that  the  candidate  for  baptism  be  naked,  or  practically  so. 
A  growing  sense  of  delicacy,  of  decency,  protested  against 
this.  And  as  Christianity  spread  from  the  Mediterranean 
basin  to  colder  climates,  such  baptism  would  be  healthfully 
possible  only  in  the  summer  months.  In  other  words,  the 
form  of  baptism  which  was  followed  in  Palestine  in  the 
age  of  the  first  disciples  is  not  adapted  to  northern  Europe 
and  America  in  the  twentieth  century.  Christianity  has 
adjusted  itself,  in  this  as  in  so  many  ways,  to  new  condi- 
tions. The  result  has  proved,  if  proof  were  needed,  that  the 
value  of  Christian  baptism  is  independent  of  the  form  in 
which  it  is  administered.  On  our  theory  of  the  church, 
there  is  nothing  to  prevent  a  person  who  conscientiously 
^Didache,  VH. 


THE    BAPTISMAL    COVENANT  1 57 

holds  to  immersion  from  being  baptized  in  this  form.  Nor 
is  there  anything  to  prevent  a  church  from  establishing 
immersion  as  its  practice,  provided  this  is  not  made  a  con- 
dition of  Christian  discipleship  and  fellowship. 

On  the  question  of  infant  baptism  the  case  is  not  so 
clear.  The  church  fathers  of  the  end  of  the  second  cen- 
tury certainly  speak  of  the  baptism  of  infants  as  a  common 
practice  in  the  church.  A  few  writers,  hke  TertuUian, 
consider  that  baptism  might  be  more  wisely  postponed  until 
character  is  fully  formed.  But  these  writers  are  exceptions 
and  prove  the  rule.  However,  believers'  baptism  continued 
for  many  years  to  be  the  ordinary  practice,  for  the  reason 
that  most  of  the  converts  to  Christianity  were  adults  won 
directly  from  heathenism.  For  the  same  reason  believers' 
baptism  was  certainly  the  ordinary  practice  in  the  primitive 
Church.  That  infant  baptism  was  practiced  in  the  New 
Testament  Church  is  probable  on  several  Hnes  of  evidence, 
— the  analogy  of  circumcision,  the  idea  of  the  inclusive 
covenant,^  the  custom  of  the  Jews  in  baptizing  the  children 
of  proselytes,  and  the  three  references  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment to  the  baptism  of  whole  households.^  Perhaps  it  is 
safest  to  say,  with  Professor  Fisher,  that  "the  baptism  of 
infants  is  neither  expHcitly  required  nor  forbidden  in  the 
New  Testament."^  But  here  again,  we  believe,  the  almost 
universal  practice  of  the  Christian  Church  from  early  times 
is  a  natural  and  legitimate  development  of  Christ's  com- 
mand and  the  apostles'  practice. 

Let  us  look  more  closely  at  the  significance  of  Christian 
baptism.    It  is  here,  we  believe,  that  the  difference  of  prac- 

^E.  g.,  I  Cor.  7: 14;  Acts  2:39.    Cf.  post,  p.  160. 
^  Acts  16:15;  16:33;  I  Cor.  1 :  16. 
^Hist.  Christian  Church,  41. 


158       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

tice  in  modern  Christendom  really  takes  its  rise.  First,  a 
little  exegesis  as  to  Jesus'  relation  to  baptism.  The  pas- 
sage in  John  3  :  22  to  4 :  2  is  not  clear.  That  is,  it  first  states 
that  Jesus  baptized,  and  then  that  he  did  not  but  only  his 
disciples.  We  cannot  say  with  certainty,  but  we  gather 
that  Jesus  himself  practiced  baptism,  and  then  discontinued 
it.  Whether  his  disciples  continued  the  practice  we  do  not 
know ;  nothing  further  is  said  of  it  until  we  get  outside  the 
gospels.  Nor  can  we  gather  anything  from  "the  baptism 
that  I  am  baptized  with."^  In  Matt.  28 :  19^  we  find 
Christ's  express  command.  It  is  probable  that  Jesus'  exact 
words  are  not  given,  as  we  have  the  full  trinitarian  for- 
mula. But  that  such  a  command  was  given  is  evidenced 
by  the  universal  practice  of  the  Church  from  the  first. 

Historically  there  seem  to  have  been  two  main  sources 
for  Christian  baptism.  Firsts  the  practice  of  the  Jews. 
From  the  command  of  Christ,  verified  by  the  course  the 
disciples  followed,  we  see  that  baptism  was  to  be  for 
Christ's  church  what  baptism  and  circumcision  had  been  for 
proselytes  in  the  Jewish  church, — an  initiatory  rite,  symbol- 
izing the  entrance  on  the  new  religion.^  Second,  the  bap- 
tism practiced  by  John  and  probably  some  others  before 
him.  His  was  a  baptism  of  repentance.  Men  confessed 
their  sins,  and  baptism  signified  the  washing  away  of  their 
sins.  This  thought  comes  out  in  many  passages  of  the 
New  Testament  where  baptism  is  spoken  of.* 

These  are  the  two  main  sources  from  which  the  Chris- 

^Mark  10:  38  and  ||*s. 

'Passage  only  in  Matthew,  but  the  fragment  in  Mark  16:9(1 
seems  in  some  ways  a  parallel. 

'Schuerer,  Geschickte,  third  edition,  HI,  128. 

*E.  g.,  Acts  2  :  38  ff.    Cf.  the  many  references  to  "burial." 


THE     BAPTISMAL    COVENANT  159 

tian  practice  was  derived.  But  Christ's  first  followers,  or 
Christ  Himself,  not  only  fused  these  two  ideas  into  one, 
but  so  combined  them  with  other  ideas  of  the  new  religion 
that  Christian  baptism  became  a  new  rite  with  a  new 
meaning.  It  symbolized,  like  Jewish  baptism,  the  entrance 
on  Christ's  service,  but  this  was  to  take  Christ  into  one's 
life.  It  symbolized,  Hke  John's  baptism,  the  washing  away 
of  sin.  But  not  a  formal,  ceremonial  cleansing.  Rather  a 
real  cleansing  of  the  heart,  a  making  over  of  the  life, 
through  the  influence  of  Christ.  "I  indeed  baptize  you 
with  water,"  said  John,  "but  he  shall  baptize  you  with  the 
Holy  Spirt."  Paul  expresses  it  thus:  "As  many  of  you  as 
were  baptized  into  Christ  did  put  on  Christ."^  It  symbol- 
izes all  the  spiritual  influences  which  come  into  a  person's 
life  through  the  abiding  influence  of  Christ.  It  symbolizes, 
in  short,  the  grace  of  God,  the  new  covenant  of  grace  He 
has  made  for  all  who  stand  with  Christ  as  His  loving, 
obedient  children. 

We  take  it,  then,  that  this  is  the  significance  of  baptism 
when  administered  to  one  who  enters  the  service  of  Jesus 
Christ.  As  we  baptize  him  into  the  name  of  Father,  Son 
and  Spirit,  we  baptize  him  into  the  Hfe  of  Father,  Son  and 
Spirit.  He  has  been  a  child  of  God  before ;  everyone  living 
is  a  child  of  God.  But  on  accepting  Christ  he  becomes  for 
the  first  time  a  son  in  his  Father's  house,  heir  of  all  His 
spiritual  kingdom,  free  to  share  in  all  the  Father  has  to 
give.  This  requires  faith,  or  the  preferred  grace  is  of  no 
avail  and  baptism  is  meaningless.  But  loyalty  is  nine-tenths 
of  faith.  "He  that  hath  my  commandments  and  keepeth 
them,  he  it  is  that  loveth  me ;  and  he  that  loveth  me  shall 
be  loved  of  my  Father  .  .  .  and  we  will  come  unto  him 
iGal.  3:27. 


l6o       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

and  make  our  abode  with  him."^  Love  and  knowledge, 
salvation  and  power,  freedom  and  joy,  all  that  Baptism 
symbolizes  and  promises,  will  come  to  him  as  he  loves  the 
Father,  as  he  serves  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  he  cultivates 
the  acquaintance  of  the  ever-present  Spirit.  As  is  his 
loyalty,  such  will  be  the  grace  of  God  to  him  in  after  years. 

We  believe  that  baptism  of  the  children  of  Christian 
parents  follows  naturally  from  this  idea  of  Baptism  as  the 
sign  of  a  covenant,  the  symbol  of  adoption  into  God's 
household.  But  before  discussing  this  point  it  will  be  well 
for  us  to  stop  and  define  the  term  "covenant."  In  the  Old 
Testament  we  find  frequent  reference  to  a  covenant  or 
agreement  between  God  and  His  people.  The  idea  is 
present  also  in  the  New  Testament,  a  contrast  being  made 
or  implied  between  the  new  covenant  and  the  old.^  Thus 
Christ  at  the  Last  Supper  speaks  of  "my  blood  of  the 
covenant  which  is  shed  for  many,"^  or  "the  new  covenant 
in  my  blood,"  ^  according  to  which  source  we  follow.  The 
whole  New  Testament  seems  to  be  witness  to  an  agreement 
made  between  God  and  those  who  shall  be  followers  of 
Christ,  a  new  relation  of  partnership  or  adoption.  It  is  the 
basis  of  the  great  doctrine  of  Justification,  as  presented  by 
Paul,  and  also  by  John.^  It  may  be  stated  most  simply  in 
terms  of  the  family,  as  we  have  attempted  to  do  in  the  pre- 
ceding pages. 

To  the  fathers  of  Congregationalism  the  "covenant  of 
grace  "  was  clear  enough  as  a  theological  doctrine.  But  in 
their  church  polity  they  failed  to  make  a  proper  distinction 

^John  14:21-23. 

'E.  g.,  Gal.  4:  22ff;  Heb.  8:  6ff,  etc. 

'Mark  14:24;  f/.  Matt.  26:28. 

*Luke  22:20;  cf.  1  Cor.  11:25. 

'E.  g.,  John  1:12,  "the  right  to  become  children  of  God." 


THE    BAPTISMAL    COVENANT  l6l 

between  this  covenant,  of  which  baptism  was  the  seal  and 
by  which  a  person  was  admitted  into  the  household  of  God, 
and  the  covenant  by  which  the  visible  church  was  consti- 
tuted. Browne  confounds  the  two.^  Later  writers  appar- 
ently do  the  same.  Thus  in  all  the  discussions  of  baptized 
children  and  their  status,  the  covenant  of  the  parents,  in 
which  the  children  participate  and  which  they  are  to  "own" 
or  "enter"  when  they  reach  maturity,  seems  to  be  the 
church  covenant.  Doubtless  the  church  covenant  includes 
by  implication  the  covenant  of  grace.  But  the  confounding 
of  the  two  opened  the  way  for  serious  errors.  It  involved  a 
practical  identification  of  the  household  of  God  with  the 
visible  Church.  This  meant,  on  the  one  side,  that  the 
covenant  of  grace,  instead  of  being  a  spiritual  relation 
subsisting  between  God  and  man,  came  to  be  looked  on 
rather  as  a  formal  transaction,  sealed  by  baptism  much  as  a 
written  agreement  would  be  sealed  by  wax.  This  came 
perilously  near  the  sacramentarian  theory  of  Baptism.  On 
the  other  side,  those  who  had  been  baptized  in  infancy 
were  (for  a  varying  term)  counted  as  church  members  and 
made  amenable  to  church  discipline,  even  though  they  had 
taken  no  obligations  on  themselves  and  though  they  might 
daily  be  breaking  the  obhgations  their  parents  had  assumed 
for  them.  This  came  perilously  near  making  the  church- 
covenant  a  mockery. 

Now  the  household  of  God^  and  the  Church  are  not 
identical.  Both  common  observation  and  the  words  of 
Jesus  ^  teach    us   to    make    a    distinction    between    them. 

^  Book  ivhich  Sheivethy  36  ff;  cf.  section  1. 
'Or,  in  Jesus'  phrase,  the  Kingdom. 

'E.  g.,  Mark  9:38  ff. ;  Matt.  21:28  ff.;  25:31  ff.;  and  many  of 
the  Kingdom  passages. 


1 62  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE     CHURCH 

One  is  invisible;  the  other  is  visible.  It  is  possible  to 
belong  to  either  w^ithout  belonging  to  the  other.  The 
Church,  organized  and  visible,  attempts  to  realize  the 
Household  of  God  on  earth.  But  it  can  do  this  only 
imperfectly.  First,  a  church  is  a  company  of  Christians; 
membership  in  this  visible  society  is  based  on  the  pre- 
sumption of  membership  in  the  invisible  Kingdom.  But 
in  many  cases  this  presumption  must,  from  God's  view^- 
point,  be  wrong;  some  will  be  received  into  the  church 
who  have  no  real  participation  in  the  covenant  of  grace. 
Second,  the  Church  does  not  and  cannot  include  all  the 
Christians  in  the  world,  all,  that  is,  who  have  a  part  in 
the  covenant  of  grace.  For  third,  the  Church,  on  Christ's 
view,  seems  to  be  a  working,  a  militant  body.^  Member- 
ship in  it  would  be  meaningless,  unless  it  were  conscious 
and  deliberate,  a  voluntary  owning  of  its  rules  and  sharing 
of  its  work.  It  is  hard  to  see  how  an  infant  could 
belong  to  such  a  body.  But  it  might  be  quite  possible  for  an 
infant  to  belong  to  the  invisible  Kingdom  of  God,  sharing 
its  spiritual  benefits,  living  as  a  Christian  from  his  earHest 
years.  From  this  point  of  view  let  us  consider  the  ques- 
tion of  infant  baptism.  If  we  can  keep  a  clear  distinction 
between  these  two  sets  of  relations, — the  invisible  King- 
dom with  its  covenant  of  grace,  and  the  Church,  with 
its  own  special  covenant,  which  attempts  to  realize  the 
Kingdom  in  visible  shape  on  earth, — we  shall  avoid,  as 
our  fathers  might  have  avoided,  many  serious  anomalies. 
Christ  set  the  httle  child  in  the  midst,  as  the  greatest 
in  the  Kingdom.^  As  He  interprets  for  us  God's  plan, 
it  is  that  all  children  of  the  Father,  even    the   youngest, 

^  See  ante,  pp.  9,  12. 

'Mark  9:33  and  H's;  10:13  and  H's. 


THE     BAPTISMAL    COVENANT  1 63 

shall  live  as  His  children,  calling  God  Father,  looking  on 
Christ  as  their  Master,  looking  on  the  Holy  Spirit  as 
their  Guide  and  Strength.  This  is  "the  grace  wherein 
we  stand."  This  is  exactly  what  Baptism  symbolizes;  it 
is  the  sign  of  God's  covenant  of  grace  (or  the  "seal," 
if  we  do  not  make  that  term  connote  too  much).  Bap- 
tism is  no  magical  rite  that  saves  the  child  ^  from  the  wrath 
of  God.  The  act  does  not  itself  regenerate.  It  estab- 
hshes  no  claim  upon  God's  grace.  It  is  rather  the  sol- 
emn form  by  which  the  parents  and  the  church  appro- 
priate for  a  child  all  the  love  and  power  which  are  at 
the  command  of  God's  true  sons.  We  take  a  covenant 
for  him.  That  is,  we  promise  to  bring  him  up,  as  far  as 
in  us  Hes,  in  loyalty  to  God  and  His  Christ,  following 
the  Spirit  which  tells  Him  to  do  right  rather  than  wrong, 
to  speak  truth  rather  than  a  He,  to  show  kindness  rather 
than  hate.  We  count  him  as  a  member  of  God's  house- 
hold, holding  before  him  the  obligations  of  its  covenant. 
We  lead  him  to  look  forward  to  full  citizenship  in  the 
Kingdom  of  God  as  the  natural  step  he  shall  one  day 
take.  And  when  he  reaches  years  of  discretion,  he  "owns 
for  himself  the  covenant"  which  we  have  made  for  him. 
He  enters  on  definite,  conscious  loyalty  to  Christ.  He 
takes  on  himself  the  obligations  of  a  member  of  God's 
household  on  earth.  He  has  long  shared  its  riches  and 
its  power.  For  to  confess  Christ  before  men  and  take 
one's  place  in  the  visible  church  is  part  of  the  obhgation 
of  the  covenant,  an  act  as  natural  and  joyous  as  to  own 
oneself  a  child  of  God.  This  is  the  ideal,  where  baptism 
is  the  seal  of   a  covenant    between    God    and    man,  and 

iQr  the  adult.    Mark  i6:i6  is,  of  course,  to  be  rejected  on  textual 
grounds. 


164       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

where  the  church  and  the  parents,  and  increasingly  the 
children  themselves,  live  up  to  the  obligations  of  that  cov- 
enant. As  is  the  loyalty  in  which  the  children  are  trained, 
such  will  be  the  grace  of  God  to  them. 

Is  not  this  Christ's  ideal  of  childhood?  Is  not  this 
His  theory  of  discipleship  ?  Even  in  anti-pedobaptist 
churches  some  form  of  child-consecration  is  now  seen  to 
be  necessary,  where  others  have  found  a  form  ready  to 
hand.  When  the  Master  said:  "Except  ye  turn  and 
become  as  little  children,  ye  shall  in  no  wise  enter  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,"  He  expressed  a  truth  we  meet  with 
daily  in  our  church  work,  that  entrance  on  His  service  is 
easy  in  childhood,  but  a  hard  thing  afterward.  For  those 
who  have  had  no  Christian  training  in  home  and  church 
and  school,  conversion  will  always  be  necessary.  We 
must  work  and  pray  to  bring  them  face  to  face  with 
God  and  Eternity.  We  must  wait  in  many  instances 
until  their  experience  makes  them  humble  and  repentant, 
conscious  of  their  need  of  a  God,  a  Saviour,  a  Helper. 
Such  cases  we  shall  have  always  with  us,  while  indiffer- 
ence lasts,  while  sin  lasts.  To  such  we  must  bring  the 
saving  gospel  of  Christ.  For  such  there  must  be  a  bap- 
tism of  repentance.  But  shall  we  place  in  the  same  cate- 
gory, treat  by  the  same  methods,  the  children  of  our  own 
church,  the  children  of  Christian  mothers?  It  is  vastly 
more  important  that  they  be  saved  from  sin  beforehand 
than  that  they  be  saved  from  sin  afterward.  To  bring 
them  up  as  if  they  were  outside  the  covenant  of  grace, 
expecting  them  to  enter  it  some  day,  as  great  sinners  enter 
it,  through  conversion  and  a  change  of  heart,  is  an  un- 
christian way.  If  they  have  been  brought  up  as  they 
should  be,  what  is  there  for  them  to  be  converted  from  ? 


THE    BAPTISMAL    COVENANT  165 

It  is  a  wasteful  way,  for  so  a  large  proportion  never  enter 
it  at  all.  Let  us  rather  bring  them  up  to  feel  that  they 
belong  to  Christ,  never  knowing  the  day  when  they  were 
outside  of  His  fold,  needing  to  be  converted  back  again. 
Let  us  so  bring  them  up,  in  God's  sight,  that  the  new 
birth  of  the  Spirit  may  come  to  them  gradually  and  nat- 
urally, as  Baptism  promises,  through  the  influences  of  home 
and  school  and  church. 

The  last  half-century  has  seen  a  Christianizing  of  our 
idea  of  childhood,  largely  through  the  influence  of  Horace 
Bushnell.  To  use  his  phrases,  now  commonplaces,  "Chris- 
tian nurture"  must  take  the  place  of  "ostrich  nurture,"  if 
the  Church  is  to  do  the  work  in  the  world  which  Christ 
expects  of  it.  It  has  not  yet  reahzed  "the  outpopulating 
power  of  the  Christian  stock."  We  believe  that  the  present 
century  will  see  a  new  emphasis  on  infant  baptism,  among 
the  Congregational  churches,  as  an  important  element  in 
the  problem  of  nurture.^  (Here,  of  course,  as  in  the  matter 
of  immersion,  due  allowance  must  be  made  for  the  individual 
parent  and  the  individual  church.)  In  the  baptism  of 
children,  the  cooperation  of  both  the  parents  and  the 
church  is  necessary, — of  the  church,  because  this  is  a  sacra- 
ment of  the  church,  and  the  church  joins  in  the  covenant 
made  with  God  for  the  child ;  of  the  parents,  or  of  one 
parent,  because  the  value  of  baptism  will  depend  on  the 
spiritual  atmosphere  of  the  home  in  which  the  child  grows 
up.  Baptism  of  a  child  by  a  Christian  church  where  neither 
parent  is  a  member  of  that  church  would  in  most  cases 
be  meaningless. 

This  covenant  relation  assumed  for  baptized  children  has 

^Though  without  following  Bushnell  in  his  "infant  church-mem- 
bership." 


l66       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

found  beautiful  expression  in  some  modern  Congregational 
churches.  We  refer  to  the  formal  covenanting  by  the  mem- 
bership, admitting  the  child,  as  far  as  they  may,  to  a  place 
in  God's  covenant  of  grace,  and  enrolling  him  as  "a  child 
of  the  covenant "  in  that  church,  and  under  its  watch-care 
until  a  specified  age  (usually  eighteen),  unless  he  earlier 
owns  for  himself  the  covenant  by  becoming  a  member  of 
the  church.  That  is,  the  terms  of  early  Congregationalism 
are  revived,  but  with  a  new  and  truer  meaning.  A  roll  is 
kept,  children  baptized  elsewhere  are  received  into  the  same 
status,  and  those  removing  are  commended,  Hke  the  parents, 
to  the  watch-care  of  another  church.  All  this  is  implied  in 
the  rite  itself,  but  it  is  of  value  in  keeping  before  the  church, 
the  parents  and  the  child  the  fact  that  he  is  expected  to 
grow  up  as  a  child  of  God. 

We  believe  that  the  practice  just  outlined,  with  the 
theory  of  Baptism  which  we  have  given,  supply  all  the 
benefits  of  the  "infant  church -membership"  of  other 
churches,  while  avoiding  its  defects.  The  Congregational 
churches,  in  the  much  experimenting  of  their  long  history, 
ought  to  have  learned  something  on  the  subject  of  infant 
baptism.  They  are  prepared  to  hold  middle  ground  between 
those  bodies  of  Christians  which,  in  their  extreme  individ- 
ualism, have  neglected  the  child  altogether,  and  those  bodies 
which  would  make  the  baptismal  form  of  value  per  se  to  the 
child.  With  the  Baptists  they  can  emphasize  the  voluntary 
character  of  church  membership.  At  the  same  time,  with 
the  parish  churches,*^they  can  emphasize  the  Christian  birth- 
right of  the  properly  environed  child.  They  can  emphasize 
nurture,  as  the  Lutherans  have  done,  and  to  some  extent 
the  Presbyterians,  but  with  a  definition  of  nurture  that  is 
broader  than  the  catechism,  that  joins  the  home  with  the 


THE     BAPTISMAL    COVENANT  167 

school  as  a  "means  of  grace,"  that   gives  instruction  and 
atmosphere  their  proper  relative  places. 

Let  us  look  for  a  moment  at  the  church  covenant.  The 
explicit  covenant,  which  has  been  a  feature  of  all  the  con- 
gregational bodies,  is  a  modern  thing.^  The  Anabaptists 
used  it,  but  it  vv^as  Robert  Brov^^ne  who  brought  it  promi- 
nently forward.  It  continued  to  be  a  feature  of  Barrowist 
as  well  as  Brownist  churches,  but  with  a  liberal  interpreta- 
tion. Thus  the  Cambridge  Platform  says  that  the  form  of 
the  visible  church  is  "the  visible  covenant,  agreement  or 
consent  whereby  they  give  up  themselves  unto  the  Lord, 
to  the  observing  of  the  ordinances  of  Christ  together  in  the 
same  society,  which  is  usually  called  the  church  cove- 
nant ;  for  we  see  not  otherwise  how  church  members  can 
have  church-power  one  over  another  mutually.  "^  And  a 
later  section,  with  an  eye  open  to  the  parish  churches  of 
England,  adds:  "This  voluntary  agreement,  consent  or 
covenant  (for  all  these  are  here  taken  for  the  same) ,  although 
the  more  express  and  plain  it  is,  the  more  fully  it  puts  us  in 
mind  of  our  mutual  duty  and  stirreth  us  up  to  it,  and  leaveth 
less  room  for  questioning  of  the  truth  of  the  church-estate 
of  a  company  of  professors,  and  the  truth  of  membership  of 
particular  persons ;  yet  we  conceive  the  substance  of  it  is 
kept  where  there  is  a  real  agreement  and  consent  of  a  com- 
pany of  faithful  persons  to  meet  constantly  together  in  one 
congregation,  for  the  public  worship  of  God  and  their 
mutual  edification ;  which  real  agreement  and  consent  they 
do  express  by  their  constant  practice  in  coming  together  for 

1  The  early  opponents  of  Congregationalism  were  careful  to  point 
out  that  the  church  covenant  has  no  New  Testament  authority.  Cf. 
Burrage,  The  Church  Covenant  Idea,  63,  100,  etc.  Mr.  Burrage's 
book  is  a  valuable  study  of  an  important  and  hitherto  neglected  field. 

^chap.  IV,  3. 


l68       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

the  public  worship  of  God  and  by  their  religious  subjection 
unto  the  ordinances  of  God  there."  ^ 

As  we  have  interpreted  Jesus'  theory  of  the  church,^  it 
is  exactly  this  —  a  company  of  Christians,  banded  together 
or  habitually  associated,  with  Christ  in  the  midst.  The 
subject  of  early  church  membership  is  obscure.  The  indica- 
tions are  that  in  the  apostolic  churches,  as  afterward,  the 
churches  were  misled,  as  the  fathers  of  Congregationalism 
were,  by  Old  Testament  covenant  ideas,  counting  children 
of  Christian  parents  as  members,  yet  requiring  something 
more  for  admission  to  the  Lord's  Supper.  But  we  believe, 
first,  that  the  modern  democratic  churches  have  returned 
to  Christ's  own  conception  of  the  Church,  as  an  organized 
visible  body,  attempting  to  realize  the  spiritual  Kingdom, 
but  not  necessarily  co-extensive  with  it.  And  second,  the 
experience  of  Christian  history  shows  that  the  Church  can 
do  Christ's  work  better  when  it  is  looked  on  as  an  active 
body,  composed  of  mature  and  willing  soldiers,  than  when 
it  is  considered  a  passive  body,  practically  identical  with  the 
Kingdom  and  including  all  baptized  persons  not  weeded 
out  as  unfit. 

If  the  church  is  an  active  body,  an  organized  agency  for 
promoting  Christ's  cause,  voluntary  consent  is  necessary  for 
membership  in  it.  Some  covenant  or  agreement  is  at  the 
basis  of  its  constitution,  and  the  words  of  the  Cambridge 
Platform  exactly  fit  the  case.  All  that  is  necessary  is  close 
and  permanent  association,  with  the  agreement  which  this 
implies.  But  the  explicit  covenant  is  better,  as  this  keeps 
the  relations  and  duties  of  the  covenanting  parties  promi- 
nently in  mind.  Modern  Congregationalism  has  tended  to 
make  a  clear  distinction  between  the  covenant  of  grace  and 
UV,  4.  'See  ante,  p.  12 


THE     BAPTISMAL    COVENANT  169 

the  church  covenant.^  And  the  change  has  been  of 
immense  advantage  in  clarifying  our  ideas  of  Baptism  and 
church  membership.  But,  as  Mr.  Burrage  points  out,  we 
have  probably  swung  too  far,  making  the  church  covenant 
merely  a  "form  of  admission"  to  a  human  society.^  It  is 
more  than  that ;  it  is  a  covenant  with  Jesus  Christ,  as  His 
disciples.  His  soldiers.  Just  as,  in  the  Kingdom,  God  makes 
certain  promises  and  imposes  certain  duties,  so  in  the 
organized  Church  He  makes  further  promises  and  imposes 
further  duties.  This  fact,  that  Christ  is  directly  concerned 
in  the  constitution  and  life  of  the  church,  should  be 
recognized  in  the  forms  used  to  make  the  church-covenant 
explicit.  A  church  is  a  society  with  Christ  in  the  midst. 
We  must  always  keep  that  prominently  before  us.  Other- 
wise we  shall  reduce  the  church  to  a  purely  human  society, 
a  sort  of  religious  club.  Congregationalism  has  always  been 
in  danger  of  cherishing  the  delusion  which  underHes  the 
social  compact  theory,  when  taken  literally,  that  a  society 
is  constituted  by  formal  agreement  rather  than  by  associa- 
tion. Membership  in  a  church  of  Christ  is  more  than 
membership  in  a  club.  It  cannot  be  withdrawn  at  will,  as 
club  membership  can  be.  It  involves  peculiar  relations  to 
Christ  and  to  one  another.  The  essential  fact  in  church 
membership  is  association,  with  Christ  and  with  one 
another.  "Absent  membership"  can  seldom  be  more  than 
nominal. 

If    Baptism  is  connected   with  the  covenant  of    grace 

1  See,  for  example,  the  suggested  form  for  the  reception  of  mem- 
bers published  by  the  National  Council,  Appendix  J.  The  distinction 
is  not  very  strongly  emphasized,  owing  perhaps  to  a  difference  of  view 
in  the  National  Council's  committee.  The  weakness  of  the  Form  is  on 
the  side  of  the  church  covenant. 

''Op.  cit.  204. 


lyo       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

rather  than  with  the  church  covenant  (which  implies  the 
former),  it  may  often  be  wise  to  separate  baptism  and 
church-membership  for  new  converts,  as  is  done  in  the  case 
of  infants.  We  believe  this  has  been  the  practice  to  some 
extent  in  our  missionary  work  in  foreign  lands.  When  a 
person  is  converted,  so  that  he  wishes  to  live  as  God's 
child,  as  a  servant  of  Jesus  Christ,  God  is  ready  to  covenant 
with  him.  Such  person  may  properly  receive  baptism  as  a 
seal  of  God's  covenant  of  grace.  But  before  he  is  ready  for 
church-membership  further  instruction  may  be  necessary 
and  further  testing.  Then,  when  he  has  proved  himself 
worthy  of  the  covenant  with  God,  and  fitted  intelligently 
to  enter  on  a  covenant  with  Christ  in  the  church,  he  is 
received  into  church-membership.  There  is  no  inherent 
reason  why  baptism  should  not  be  administered  more  than 
once ;  but  it  seems  unnecessary,  unless  as  a  witness  against 
the  sacramentarian  notions  into  which  it  is  so  easy  for  us 
to  fall.  We  must  keep  constantly  before  us  Christ's  attitude 
toward  all  outward  ordinances,  that  they  are  simply  helps 
toward  realizing  inward  relations  and  graces.  As  He  said  of 
the  Sabbath,  so,  we  believe.  He  would  have  said  of  Baptism, 
that  it  was  made  for  man   and  not  man  for  Baptism. 

Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper,  as  visible  ordinances, 
belong  to  the  visible  Church  and  should  be  administered  by 
it.  This,  we  believe,  was  the  intention  of  the  Lord.  The 
members  of  the  church,  in  their  corporate  capacity,  serve  as 
administrators,  sponsors  and  witnesses.  But  a  clear  under- 
standing of  the  relation  between  the  visible  Church  and  the 
invisible  Kingdom  will  keep  us  from  denying  either  Baptism 
or  the  Lord's  Supper  to  those  who  belong  to  the  Kingdom 
but  not  yet  to  the  Church. 

If  we  are  right  in  our  interpretation  of  Jesus'  view  of 


THE     BAPTISMAL    COVENANT  171 

the  Church,  the  conditions  of  membership  in  it  are 
extremely  simple.  A  church  is  a  company  of  Christians. 
Persons  are  received  into  it  because  they  are  Christians — 
so  professing,  and  seen  to  be  intelligent  and  sincere  in  their 
profession, — and  because  they  wish  to  join  with  other 
Christians  in  associated  life  and  service.  Most  of  the 
Congregational  churches  have  learned  their  lesson  in  the 
book  of  denominational  experience,  and  have  abandoned 
the  un-Scriptural  and  un-Christian  severity  of  requirement 
and  examination.  We  still  stand  for  a  regenerate  member- 
ship, and,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  as  strongly  as  ever.  But  our 
idea  of  regeneration  has  grown  broader  and  healthier.  We 
are  more  ready  to  recognize  the  diverse  operations  of  the 
same  Spirit. 


CHAPTER   XII 

rHE   WORK    OF    THE    CHURCH 

"Ye  shall  be  my  witnesses,  both  in  Jerusalem,  and  in  all 
Judaea  and  Samaria,  and  unto  the  uttermost  part  of  the 
earth. "^  These,  according  to  Luke,  were  Christ's  last 
words,  His  final  instructions,  to  the  church  at  Jerusalem. 
Missionary  activity  is  involved  in  the  very  nature  of  the 
Church.  "A  church  of  Christ;"  if  these  words  mean  any- 
thing, they  mean  that  the  men  and  women  who  make  up 
that  church  are  working  for  Christ.  They  have  entered  a 
partnership  with  Him,  for  evangelizing  the  world.  "Ye 
are  the  hght  of  the  world,"  shining  in  my  stead.  Ye  are 
the  only  Hght  the  world  has.  "As  Thou  didst  send  me  into 
the  world,  even  so  send  I  them  into  the  world. "^  We  have 
seen  that  Christ  means  every  church  to  be  an  agency  for 
the  extension  of  His  Kingdom,  for  the  spreading  of  His 
gospel  and  His  influence  to  those  who  have  not  felt  their 
power.^ 

Democracy  in  the  Church  means  every  Christian  a 
missionary,  an  ambassador  of  the  unseen  Lord,  an  agent 
for  the  carrying  on  of  His  personal  propaganda.  We  hear  a 
good  deal  in  some  quarters  of  "apostolic  succession."  Men 
say  that  without  apostolic  succession  there  can  be  no 
church,  and  that  is  true.    But  for  us  apostolic  succession 

'  Acts  1 :  8.  'See  ante,  pp.  9,  12. 

'John  17 : 18. 

(172) 


THE    WORK    OF    THE    CHURCH  1 73 

does  not  "run  down  a  thin  official  line  of  priests."^  Apos- 
tle, by  derivation  and  by  New  Testament  usage,^  means 
simply  missionary.  Apostolic  succession  is  missionary  suc- 
cession, the  possession  of  that  Spirit  of  Christ  which  impels 
men  to  hand  on  the  hght,  to  tell  to  others  the  good  news ; 
a  succession  of  true  missionaries  of  the  cross,  going  forth 
personally  or  by  proxy,  to  labor  in  God's  harvest  fields. 

It  is  a  solemn  matter,  this  responsibility  of  the  church 
and  its  membership  for  Christ's  missionary  and  philan- 
thropic work.  The  question  of  the  church's  prosperity  is 
intimately  bound  up  with  it.  The  prosperity  of  a  church 
does  not  depend  on  large  resources,  on  a  high-salaried  pas- 
tor, on  a  splendid  building  and  fine  music.  For  a  church 
is  a  rehgious  society,  bearing  Christ's  name.  The  question 
of  success  or  failure  is  a  question  of  whether  Christ  ap- 
proves of  it  or  no,  whether  He  manifests  approval  by  His 
presence  in  its  life  and  work.  In  the  eyes  of  the  Master, 
these  material  things  are  good,  if  they  help  a  church  to  do 
His  work.  But  the  important  thing  with  Him  is  just  that, 
that  the  church  be  doing  His  work.  It  is  as  true  of  the 
church  as  it  is  of  the  individual,  that  it  must  lose  its  Hfe  in 
order  to  find  it.  In  the  long  run,  that  church  will  succeed 
which  is  doing  the  work  Christ  has  set  for  it  and  living  for 
others.  That  church  will  fail  which  is  living  only  for 
itself. 

Ecclesiastical  democracy  has  often  proved,  as  it  should 
be,  the  nursery  of  missionary  zeal.  It  was  true  of  the 
Church  of  the  first  two  centuries.  The  vitality  of  the 
Pilgrim  immigration  came  largely  from  its  missionary  char- 

^R.  W.  Dale,  Free  Church  Congress,  Birmingham  1895.     Cf.  J. 
M.  Whiton,  The  Home  Missionary^  June  1904. 
''See  ante,  p.  19. 


174       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

acter.  One  of  the  reasons  given  by  Governor  Bradford  for 
their  coming  was  that  they  had  "  a  great  hope  and  inward 
zeal  of  laying  some  good  foundation,  or  at  least  to  make 
some  way  thereunto,  for  the  propagating  and  advancing 
the  Gospel  of  the  Kingdom  of  Christ  in  those  remote  parts 
of  the  world."  ^  This  missionary  impulse  was  never  wholly 
lost.^  Each  great  revival  renewed  and  broadened  it.  The 
Great  Awakening  produced  David  Brainerd.  The  second 
wave,  at  the  end  of  the  century,  produced  the  Connecticut 
Missionary  Society  in  1798  and  the  American  Board  in 
1 8 10.  The  American  Home  Missionary  Society  followed 
in  1826,  and  the  American  Missionary  Association  in  1846. 
In  all  these  movements  Congregationalists  were  pioneers, 
and  they  have  become  residuary  legatees  of  the  national 
societies  first  formed  to  promote  them.  In  the  words  of 
Professor  Walker,  at  the  end  of  the  eighteenth  century 
"missionary  zeal  became  one  of  the  conspicuous  traits  of 
the  Congregational  body  as  a  whole."  ^  Probably  no  other 
denomination  is  so  widely  and  intelligently  interested  in 
the  spread  of  Christ's  cause.  This  is  no  occasion  of  boast- 
ing. We  have  hardly  begun  to  live  up  to  the  obligations 
which  a  spiritual  democracy  puts  upon  the  membership. 
And  the  last  decade  seems  to  have  shown  decHne  rather 
than  progress. 

I.  The   missionary   work   of    the    churches,    while    in 

^  Hist.  16.  "The  first  seal  of  the  Massachusetts  Company  bore  the 
figure  of  an  Indian,  with  the  legend,  'Come  over  and  help  us,'  pro- 
ceeding out  of  his  mouth."  Dexter,  Congregationalism,  What  it  is, 
etc.,  343. 

^  We  see  this  from  the  various  missions  among  the  Indians,  and 
from  the  care  taken  that  each  new  settlement  should  have  its  school 
and  its  qualified  minister. 

^History,  432. 


THE    WORK    OF    THE     CHURCH  175 

essence  one,  is  differentiated  according  to  three  widening 
spheres  of  radiation — local,  "home"  and  foreign.  Of  local 
work  we  do  not  need  to  speak  in  detail.  Its  character  and 
importance  are  generally  recognized.  Each  church  is 
responsible  for  the  unchurched  masses  in  its  neighborhood. 
It  must  gather  the  children  and  nurture  them.  It  must 
fish  (with  Christian  bait)  for  men  and  women.  Every 
church  must  be  an  evangelistic  church  in  order  to  be. 
This  is  not  the  place  to  discuss  ways  and  means,  or  to 
enter  on  the  mooted  question  of  the  "revivalist."  We 
simply  emphasize  the  responsibility,  and  the  fact  that  it 
does  not  rest  on  the  pastor  alone  (as  if  we  could  pay  some 
one  to  do  our  Christian  work  for  us),  but  on  every  mem- 
ber of  the  church.  The  conversion  of  men  to  Christ  must 
find  a  real  place  in  each  member's  thought  and  prayer,  and, 
according  to  his  gifts,  in  each  member's  endeavor.  Dr. 
Trumbull's  plan,  "individual  work  for  individuals,"  ought 
to  find  an  exemplar  in  every  democratic  church. 

Out-station  work,  the  yoking  of  the  strong  church  with 
the  weaker,  philanthropic  work,  social  settlements,  or  even 
social  "colonization,"^ — all  these  are  part  of  the  responsi- 
bility of  the  local  church.  Each  church,  whether  urban 
or  rural,  whether  weak  or  strong,  must  say  to  the  com- 
munity around  it,  in  the  Master's  words,  "I  am  in  the 
midst  of  you  as  he  who  serves."  In  this  leavening  of  the 
community  the  pastor  finds  his  opportunity  for  leadership, 
the  membership  finds  enough  Christian  work  to  keep  all 
employed,  as  in  a  democracy  they  should  be. 

II.  We  pass  to  "^o;w^"  mission  work,  beyond  the  limits 
of  a  single  parish,  as  it  radiates  until  it  becomes  national. 

^  Gladden,    Christian  Pastor ^  262.      See   his  whole  chapter  on 
Parish  E'vangelization, 


176       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

When  the  era  of  aggressive  missionary  work  opened,  the 
Congregational  churches,  having  no  administrative  machin- 
ery at  hand,  proceeded  to  organize  voluntary  societies  as 
these  were  needed.  Historically,  this  may  be  called  the 
Congregational  theory  of  organized  mission  work.  For 
many  years  other  denominations  cooperated  in  these  vol- 
untary societies,  until  the  rise  of  a  second  theory  led  to 
their  withdrawal.  This  was  the  theory  of  church  boards, 
representing  a  particular  denomination,  rather  than  volun- 
tary societies,  representing  all  interested  Christians  of 
whatever  name.  Dr.  Rice  wrote  to  the  Presbyterian 
Assembly  of  1831  :  "The  Presbyterian  Church  in  the 
United  States  is  a  missionary  society,  and  every  member  of 
the  church  is  a  life-member  of  said  society."  ^  Though 
the  church  boards,  as  afterwards  constituted,  are  not  iden- 
tical with  the  highest  administrative  body  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church,  and  so  directly  representative,  they  are 
creatures  of  the  General  Assembly  and  amenable  to  it. 

As  between  these  two  theories  of  organized  mission 
work,  which  are  we  to  choose  ?  On  the  basis  of  the  pre- 
vious discussion,  we  answer,  without  a  moment's  hesita- 
tion, the  second.  The  Congregational  system  of  voluntary 
societies  has  served  its  purpose  and  served  it  well.  Proba- 
bly no  church  boards  have  ever  done  more  efficient  work, 
or  had  a  more  loyal  constituency.  But  with  the  growth  of 
the  societies  the  system  has  already  disclosed  elements  of 
weakness.  The  efficiency  and  loyalty  to  which  we  have 
referred  are  due  to  the  character  of  the  Congregational 
men  and  women  concerned  in  them,  rather  than  to  any 
merit  in  the  system.  Just  as  soon  as  it  is  recognized  that 
administrative  bodies  have  a  proper  place  in  a  Christian 

*  Thompson,  Hist.,  125. 


THE     WORK    OF    THE    CHURCH  1 77 

democracy,  the  sole  objection  to  church  boards  is  removed 
and  the  latter  system  will  be  adopted.  In  fact,  we  are 
already  tending  in  that  direction.  For  the  simple  reason  that 
the  representative  church  board  is  more  democratic  than  the 
voluntary  society,  therefore  more  in  line  with  the  spirit  of 
Christ  and  more  likely  to  be  efficient  in  His  Kingdom. 

Let  us  specify,  (a)  In  the  first  place,  each  society  has 
exalted  itself  as  an  independent  body,  carrying  on  the  busi- 
ness of  the  churches  without  consulting  them  except  as  to 
the  amount  of  money  they  would  give.  The  actual  man- 
agement of  each  society  was  in  the  hands  of  a  few  men, 
put  into  office  by  a  self-perpetuating  board.  The  result 
was  the  anomaly  of  democratic  churches  with  a  series  of 
ohgarchical  attachments  to  do  their  missionary  work.  From 
the  first  triennial  Council  at  Oberlin  in  1871,  national, 
state  and  local  bodies  have  been  protesting  against  this 
state  of  affairs.  In  the  words  of  the  Connecticut  memorial 
in  1889,  "the  facts  not  only  discredit  our  polity,  but  also 
threaten  our  peace."^  The  demand  was  made  that  "the 
churches  should  participate  directly  in  the  management  of 
the  missionary  work  which  they  sustain."  It  is  only  within 
the  last  few  years  that  the  societies  have  tardily  and  reluc- 
tantly recognized  these  protests  and  demands.  Most  of 
them  have  changed  their  constitutions  so  as  to  become,  or 
be  in  process  of  becoming,  representative  of  the  churches 
(directly  or  indirectly).  This  is  virtually  a  change  from  the 
system  of  voluntary  societies  to  the  system  of  representa- 
tive church  boards.^ 

^  Hood,  The  National  Council,  137. 

'At  the  date  of  writing,  November,  1905,  the  membership  in  the 
five  home  societies  was  as  follows:  C.  H.  M.  S.  i.  Representatives  of 
state  associations  [a  pending  amendment,  to  make  these  representative 


178       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

(h)  The  societies,  by  virtue  of  the  system  under  which 
they  grew  up,  have  been  unduly  multiplied.  As  their 
spheres  were  not  clearly  defined,  a  certain  overlapping  was 
inevitable.  The  result  has  been  a  duplication  of  plants, 
often  competition  and  friction,  and  always  a  multiplication 
of  appeals  to  the  confusion  of  the  churches.  On  no  point 
have  the  churches  protested  more  loudly,  and  their  protests 
are  still  unheeded.  A  ray  of  light  appears  in  the  recent 
proposition  of  the  Home  Missionary  Society  for  "two 
great  home  societies,  one  evangelizing  or  missionary,  the 
other  educational,"  each  with  its  proper  departments.^   It 

of  state  home  missionary  societies,  will  be  discussed  below];  2.  Life 
members  who  have  not  died  or  surrendered.  A.  M.  A.  i.  Life  mem- 
bers;  2.  Annual  members — pastor  and  two  delegates  from  each  con- 
tributing church  (not  necessarily  Congregational),  and  representatives 
from  each  state  or  local  association.  C.  S.  S.  &P.  S.  i.  Life  mem- 
bers; 2.  Five  annual  members  from  any  state.  [Amendments  pend- 
ing?] C.  E.  S.  I.  Remaining  corporate  members  of  C.  E.  S.  and 
New  West  Ed.  Com. ;  2.  Other  life  members  elected  by  the  Society 
to  approximate  200;  3.  Annual  members  appointed  by  any  contribu- 
ting church.  C.  C.  B.  S.  Life  and  annual  members  on  money  basis. 
In  most  cases  the  officers  are  members  ex -officio;  in  one  society  this  in- 
volves 30  members. 

^ The  Home  Missionary,  Jan.  1905.  "Realizing  that  there  is  a 
natural,  legitimate  and  growing  demand  for  the  consolidation  of  our 
benevolent  societies  in  the  interest  of  economy  and  efficiency  .  .  . 
we,  therefore,  suggest  two  great  home  societies,  the  one  evangelizing 
or  missionary,  the  other  educational.  Under  the  first  we  would  unite 
the  three  existing  societies  whose  aims  are  essentially  the  same  and 
whose  work  is  in  a  large  measure  interdependent ;  the  Home  Mission- 
ary Society,  the  Church  Building  Society  and  the  Sunday  School 
Society,  each  of  these  to  become  a  department  of  the  one  great  Home 
Missionary  Society — the  department  of  evangelization,  the  department 
of  church  building,  the  department  of  Sunday  schools.  Under  the 
second,  following  a  like  principle,  there  might  be  a  grouping  of  the 
American  Missionary  Association   and    the    Education  Society,  with 


THE    WORK    OF    THE     CHURCH  1 79 

remains  to  be  seen  how  much  this  proposition  means  and 
what  will  come  of  it. 

We  shall  make  four  other  specifications,  with  reference 
to  Home  Missions,  in  the  narrower  sense  of  that  term, 
prior  to  the  Springfield  meeting  of  1905.  (c)  The  Con- 
gregational Home  Missionary  Society  made  a  distinction 
between  self-supporting  (or  auxiliary)  states  and  others. 
In  its  relation  with  the  first,  the  last  few  years  have  been  a 
record  of  constant  friction.  The  self-supporting  states 
claimed  the  right  to  manage  all  matters  pertaining  to  col- 
lection or  distribution  within  their  own  borders.  This 
right  of  self-government  the  national  society  attempted  to 
restrict,  a  most  un-Congregational  proceeding.^ 

id)  Further,  it  was  hard  to  see  why  a  distinction  should 
be  made  between  those  states  which  were  self-supporting 
and  those  which  were  not.  If  it  was  right  and  proper  for 
Massachusetts  to  control  its  own  home  missionary  work,  it 
was  right  and  proper  for  Minnesota.  The  latter  state,  with 
frontier  conditions  in  its  northern  section,  might  still  need 
the  help  of  sister  states.  But  take  the  state  as  a  whole  and 
it  was  quite  as  competent  to  manage  the  details  of  its 
Christian  propaganda.  Several  times  in  recent  years  the 
cry  had  been  raised  :  "Home  rule  in  Home  Missions."  ^  A 
secretary  or  a  board  in  New  York   City  cannot  possibly 

departments  such  as  the  exigencies  of  the  work  of  those  two  societies 
may  require."  Resolutions  call  for  the  appointment  of  committees  to 
consider  this  plan. 

^See  Home  Missionary,  Feb.,  1905  ;  a  resume  of  the  situation  was 
published  in  the  Congregationalist,  June  18,  1904.  Cf.  also  Report  of 
Com.  of  Five,  published  in  Annual  Report  of  C.  H.  M.  S.  for  1905. 

'See  further,  art.  by  L.  P.  Broad,  Congregationalist,  Oct.  8,  1904 
(also  ed.  in  Cong,,  June  18,  1904)  and  ed.  in  Home  Missionary ^ 
Sept.,  1904. 


l80  DEMOCRACY     IN    THE     CHURCH 

know  as  much  of  local  conditions  in  Nebraska  or  Wash- 
ington as  the  superintendents  or  other  officers  on  the 
ground.  No  great  business  corporation  today  would 
attempt  to  handle  details  of  business  carried  on  in  its 
branches  all  over  the  country.  What  the  "dependent" 
states  wanted  was  a  lump  sum  to  spend  as  they  saw  best, 
that  the  national  society  deal  with  the  state  missionary 
societies  directly  and  not  with  the  individual  churches.  A 
bonded  treasurer  in  Omaha  or  Seattle  ought  to  be  quite 
as  trustworthy  as  a  bonded  treasurer  in  New  York.  If  it 
w'as  said  that  the  old  method  of  deaHng  directly  with  the 
churches  made  the  salary  of  the  home  missionary  more 
secure,  we  might  ask  if  his  salary  was  not  as  secure  in 
Wisconsin  or  Illinois  as  it  was  in  any  of  the  "  dependent " 
states. 

(e)  The  chief  defect  of  the  old  system,  which  "home 
rule  "  would  remedy,  was  that  it  tended  to  pauperize  the 
aided  states.  The  average  Western  state  will  give  a  great 
deal  more  money,  and  take  a  great  deal  more  interest  in 
its  own  work,  if  it  manages  that  work  itself.  The  Congre- 
gational theory  applies  here,  that  the  way  to  develop 
responsibility  is  to  give  it. 

(/)  The  old  system  aflfected  the  attitude  of  Congrega- 
tionalists  toward  the  national  society  and  toward  missionary 
work  in  general.  The  churches.  East  and  West,  came  to 
have  a  false  idea  of  what  home  mission  work  was,  and  who 
was  to  do  it.  They  fell  into  the  undemocratic  attitude  of 
letting  the  Society  do  their  work  for  them,  while  they 
simply  paid  the  bills,  if  they  paid  them. 

When  the  Congregational  Home  Missionary  Society 
met  at  Springfield  in  May,  1905,  the  committee  of  five, 
appointed  at  the  Des  Moines  meeting,  made    its  report, 


THE     WORK    OF    THE     CHURCH  l8l 

which  was  substantially  adopted,  after  a  frank  discussion. 
This  report  and  the  action  taken  are  epoch-making.  They 
mean  a  complete  re-organization  of  our  methods  of  admin- 
istration in  Home  Missions,  as  soon  as  the  necessary 
constitutional  amendments  can  go  into  effect.  The  result 
may  be  thus  epitomized.^  The  Congregational  Home 
Missionary  Society,  as  an  agency  outside  of  the  churches, 
practically  ceases  to  exist.  In  its  place  is  put  a  Society  with 
the  same  name,  directly  representing  the  State  Missionary 
Societies,  and  bearing  somewhat  the  same  relation  to  them 
that  the  United  States  bears  to  the  states  making  up  the 
Union.  The  voting  membership  is  to  be  made  up  primarily 
of  members  elected  by  the  Home  Missionary  Societies  of 
the  several  states.  This  change  from  the  state  Association 
to  the  state  Missionary  Society  as  the  electing  body  had 
caused  some  criticism.  But  probably  the  readjustment 
would  have  been  impossible  on  any  other  basis.  The  old 
plan  tended  to  make  the  various  state  societies  subservient 
to  or  competitors  with  a  national  society,  created  not  by 
themselves  but  by  bodies  in  the  several  states  distinct  from 
themselves.  By  the  new  plan,  they  become  component  parts 
of  a  national  society  created  by  themselves.  (We  believe 
that  one  practical  result  of  the  change  will  be  the  consoli- 
dation of  the  state  Missionary  Society  with  the  Association. 
To  this  point  we  shall  return  later.)  The  new  plan,  to 
quote  the  language  of  the  report,  "will  at  once  make  all 
the  State  Societies  component  parts  of  one  great  National 
Society.  It  will  have  no  being,  as  it  never  again  can  have 
any  power  apart  from  them.  The  national  officers  will  be 
officers  of  the  State  Societies  working  in  combination,  for 
all  ends  which  those  Societies  are  unable  to  fulfill  when 
*For  text  of  the  new  Constitution,  as  proposed,  see  Appendix  L. 


1 82  DEMOCRACY    IN    THE     CHURCH 

working  alone.  The  Annual  Meeting  of  the  C.  H.  M.  S. 
will  be  truly  and  naturally  the  great  parliament  of  the  State 
Societies  throughout  the  land.  It  will  be  seen  as  we  pro- 
ceed that  our  subsequent  proposals  develop  logically  this 
central  idea,  to  make  the  National  Society  conform  to  the 
fundamental  principles  of  representative  democracy." 

This  change  should  settle  forever  the  question  of  State 
Rights  vs.  National  Rights,  as  concerns  the  self-supporting 
states,  formerly  known  as  "auxiliary"  and  now  termed 
"constituent."  But  the  National  Society,  says  the  report, 
must  be  national  in  fact  as  well  as  in  name.  It  "must  be 
something  more  than  merely  the  union  of  self-supporting 
State  Societies.  All  other  states  must  feel  that  they,  too, 
have  a  place  in  it."  The  states  "hitherto  known  as 
dependent'  or  beneficiary,'  (names  which  are  resented 
in  these  states  and  which  pertain  naturally  to  a  purely 
charity  organization)"  are  to  be  known  as  "Cooperating." 
The  Cooperating  states  retain  their  present  equality  with 
the  Constituent  in  the  election  of  members  to  the  National 
Society;  the  terms  of  their  formal  admission  to  it  are  simi- 
lar; and  they  are  similarly  subject  to  the  National  Society 
in  determining  the  proportion  of  funds  to  be  raised  and 
expended  within  the  state.  But  the  old  distinction  is  pre- 
served under  the  new  form;  they  are  given  but  sHght 
representation  on  the  Board  of  Directors  (at  least  two  and 
at  most  six  out  of  twenty-one,  and  these  elected  at  large); 
and  if  friction  arose  they  are  still,  as  in  the  past,  at  the 
mercy  of  the  self-supporting  states  in  matters  of  local 
administration.  So  far  as  the  Constitution  goes,  their  posi- 
tion is  the  same  as  at  present.  Under  whatever  name,  they 
are  still  in  tutelage  and  objects  of  charity.  The  National 
Society  is  national  in  name  but  not  in  fact. 


THE    WORK    OF    THE     CHURCH  183 

The  idea  of  a  perfect  equality  between  the  states, 
whatever  their  financial  standing,  did  not  occur  to  the 
committee,  so  far  as  appears  from  their  report.  It  may  have 
been  another  case  of  this  or  nothing.  Probably  a  suggestion 
of  perfect  equality  would  have  been  so  radical  as  to  be 
liable  to  defeat  the  whole  plan.  But,  as  we  have  already 
pointed  out,  it  is  hard  to  see  why  any  distinction  should  be 
made  between  those  states  which  are  fully  self-supporting 
and  those  which  are  not.  The  joy  of  sharing  equally  in  the 
National  Society  and  its  work,  the  sense  of  self-respect  and 
state  responsibility  thus  engendered,  are  Hkely  to  produce 
more  money  from  the  newer  states  than  all  the  coddling 
and  coaxing  which  the  National  Society  may  bring  to  bear 
on  the  plan  proposed.  All  danger  of  these  states  "lying 
down"  on  the  National  Society  or  wasting  its  grants  is 
removed  by  the  method  of  administration  for  the  whole 
country  outlined  in  the  following  clause  of  the  new  Consti- 
tution :  The  Board  of  Directors,  at  its  January  meeting, 
"shall  determine  the  apportionment  of  Home  Missionary 
funds  among  all  the  States,  whether  Constituent,  Cooper- 
ating or  Missionary,  and  other  related  matters,  and  pass 
upon  any  questions  involving  the  comprehensive  work  or 
administration  of  the  Society.  It  shall  assemble  as  far  as 
possible  State  Secretaries,  Superintendents  in  Cooperating 
States  and  such  other  representatives  of  State  Societies  as 
may  be  by  said  Societies  appointed,  in  order  that  the  needs 
and  opportunities  in  each  of  these  States  may  be  thoroughly 
presented  to  the  Board."  If  all  the  states,  whatever  their 
standing,  are  treated  alike  in  the  apportionment  of  funds, 
and  subject  to  a  diminution  of  apportionment  for  careless- 
ness or  failure  to  meet  their  proper  obligations,  why  are 
they  not  put  on  an  equality  in  name,  in  representation  on 


184      DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

the  Board  of  Directors,  and  in  the  constitutional  right  to 
control  administration  and  the  expenditure  of  grants  within 
their  own  bounds  ?  We  fail  to  see  what  safeguard  is  added 
by  the  distinction  between  Constituent  and  Cooperating 
States. 

It  should  be  added  that  the  report  makes  further  recom- 
mendations, which,  if  followed,  will  tend  to  remove  the 
practical  friction  between  the  aided  states  and  the  Society. 
Whether  they  will  be  followed  or  not  depends  wholly  on 
the  sense  and  good-will  of  the  Directors ;  they  are  not 
guaranteed  by  the  Constitution.  Thus,  it  is  recommended, 
"that  the  principle  of  'Home  Rule'  shall  be  introduced 
just  as  far  and  as  fast  as  is  practicable  in  these  *  Cooperat- 
ing States';"  "that  the  amount  to  be  spent  within  a 
Cooperating  State  having  been  definitely  apportioned  by 
the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  C.  H.  M.  S.,  the  State  Com- 
mittee shall  be  trusted  to  make  such  minor  alterations  in 
the  details  of  the  schedule  for  the  expenditure  of  said  sum 
as  may  be  found  necessary,  through  unexpected  changes, 
as  the  year  proceeds ;  it  being  understood  that  the  total 
amount  of  said  schedule  shall  not  exceed  the  sum  appor- 
tioned by  the  Board  of  Directors  unless  such  excess  is 
raised  within  the  state  in  addition  to  the  amount  already 
agreed  upon."  A  further  recommendation  makes  the 
Superintendent  in  each  Cooperating  State  an  annual  nomi- 
nee of  the  State  Society  (through  its  Board  of  Directors  or 
Executive  Committee),  and  "such  nomination  by  said 
Board  shall  be  deemed,  ordinarily,  an  essential  preliminary 
to  election  to  such  office."  In  commenting  on  this  the 
report  says:  "WebeHeve  that  the  Superintendents  in  these 
states  should  understand  that  they  are  dependent  primarily, 
not  upon  the  National  Society,  but  upon  the  state  in  which 


THE    WORK    OF    THE     CHURCH  1 85 

they  work ;  that  they  are  to  look  for  larger  resources,  not 
first  to  the  National  Treasurer,  but  to  the  churches  among 
which  their  commission  places  them ;  that  the  work  is  not 
that  of  the  '  National  Society  aided  by  the  state,  but  that 
of  the  state  aided  by  the  National  Society,'  and  that  this 
principle  will  make  in  the  direction  of  self-support,  indepen- 
dence, progress,  generosity,  intelligence  and  efiectiveness." 
The  specifications  previously  given  and  this  discussion 
of  the  action  taken  at  Springfield  have  cleared  the  ground 
for  a  reconstruction  of  our  theory  of  Home  Missionary 
work,  in  the  broad  sense.  Let  us  begin  where  we  left  off 
in  our  discussion  of  "local  missionary  work."^  When  the 
work  radiates  in  any  given  territory  so  that  individual 
churches  cannot  do  it  alone,  some  organization  is  necessary. 
But  this  organizing  of  the  churches  for  common  work 
brings  no  change  in  principle.  For  democratic  churches 
"local  responsibiHty  for  local  work "  must  still  be  the  motto. 
The  several  churches  must  continue  to  feel  that  the  work 
is  their  work,  to  be  carried  on  as  far  as  possible  through 
their  own  service  and  their  own  gifts.  Responsibility  is 
merged,  only  that  it  may  be  re-distributed.  The  agency  will 
generally  be  the  local  Conference,  which  must  have  as  its 
chief  business  the  evangelizing  of  the  territory  within  the 
Conference  limits.  Its  function  is  simply  to  help  the 
churches  appreciate  and  do  their  proper  work  of  church 
extension  —  gathering  information,  assisting  by  planning 
and  counsel,  exercising  a  general  supervision,  gathering 
funds  according  to  ability  and  distributing  according  to  need, 
doing  pioneer  work  in  territory  where  there  is  no  local  force 
to  take  the  initiative.  The  Conference  is  simply  the 
churches  at  work.  And  in  this  work  the  associated 
^  See  ante  p.  175. 


1 86  DEMOCRACY    IN    THE    CHURCH 

churches  are  not  to  tarry  for  state  or  national  societies.  On 
the  democratic  ideal,  every  Christian  is  a  missionary,  every 
church  is  a  missionary  society,  and  every  local  Conference 
is  a  board  of  missionary  administration. 

The  extension  of  the  system  to  the  state  works  no  change 
in  principle.  The  state  home  missionary  society  is  simply 
the  churches  at  v^ork,  in  a  larger  area.  Its  object  is  not 
to  do  the  work  which  individual  churches  or  Conferences 
are  doing,  or  may  be  induced  to  do.  It  is  not  to  relieve  the 
churches  of  their  local  responsibility,  but  to  add  a  further 
responsibility  for  evangelizing  the  larger  area.  The  func- 
tions of  the  state  body  are  exactly  similar  to  those  of  the 
local  Conference, —  planning  and  counsel,  information  and 
oversight,  collection  and  distribution,  and  the  initiation  and 
direction  of  work  in  sections  or  along  lines  where  no 
local  forces  are  available.  Some  of  the  local  Conferences 
are  already  resolving  themselves  into  missionary  societies, 
but  it  must  take  years  before  this  is  done  throughout  the 
entire  country.  And  there  are  many  enterprises,  the  con- 
cern of  the  churches  collectively,  which  no  local  body  has 
the  wisdom  or  strength  to  attempt. 

And  so  of  the  national  home  missionary  society.  It  is 
simply  the  churches  of  the  nation  at  work,  busy  at  their 
great  work  of  making  America  Christian.  The  national 
society  will  assist  the  state  bodies  in  their  work,  gathering 
funds  from  the  wealthier  and  distributing  to  the  poorer, 
but  allowing  each  state  body  to  spend  its  money  as  it  sees 
best.  Reheved  from  the  details  of  local  administration, 
which  a  national  society  is  ill-qualified  to  handle,  it  will  be 
free  to  plan  in  broad  outlines  for  the  country  as  a  whole. 
It  will  also  initiate  and  direct  work  in  newly-settled  states 
where  the   local  forces  are  not  yet  sufficiently  organized. 


THE    WORK    OF    THE     CHURCH  1 87 

and  probably  the  work  among  foreign-speaking  populations, 
which  is  national  rather  than  local  in  its  scope.  We  have 
been  speaking  of  home  missionary  work  in  a  narrower 
sense.  But  if  our  churches  had  one  great  home  missionary 
corporation,  with  several  departments,  taking  over  the 
work  and  funds  of  the  present  home  societies,  such  matters 
as  education  in  its  various  phases,  church-building,  publica- 
tion, and  possibly  ministerial  relief,  could  best  be  carried  on 
from  a  central  office  for  the  country  as  a  whole,  as  at 
present. 

If  it  is  asked,  what  will  be  the  relation  of  these  state 
and  national  missionary  societies  to  the  present  state  asso- 
ciations and  the  National  Council,  we  answer  that  the 
bodies  should  be  the  same.  Home  missions  in  the  broad 
sense  is  the  great  business  which  the  churches  have  in 
common.  Anything  that  concerns  the  welfare  of  the 
churches  and  their  efficiency  in  the  Kingdom  of  Christ 
properly  belongs  to  a  missionary  society,  representing  the 
churches  in  the  sphere  of  administration.  Even  now  our 
various  home  missionary  societies  are  practically  administra- 
tive boards,  as  they  "appoint"  pastors  for  the  churches 
they  assist.  Let  the  state  associations  incorporate  as  mis- 
sionary societies,  as  Wisconsin  proposes  to  do  under  the 
title  "The  Congregational  Church  in  Wisconsin."^  Let 
the  National  Council  incorporate  as  the  great  home  mis- 
sionary society  of  the  churches,  call  it  what  you  will  ("The 
Congregational  Church  in  the  United  States"  would  not 
be  a  bad  term),  with  such  machinery  of  subordinate  boards 

^  Cf.  the  Michigan  Plan,  Part  HI.  as  given  in  Appendix  E.  Mas- 
sachusetts (Lowell,  1905)  proposes,  not  only  incorporation  of  the  State 
Association,  but  that  it  "make  overtures  to  the  Massachusetts  Home 
Missionary  Society  to  become  an  integral  part  of  the  Association,  some- 
what after  the  manner  of  the  Board  of  Pastoral  Supply." 


1 88  DEMOCRACY    IN    THE    CHURCH 

as  might  be  necessary  for  efficiency.  It  could  then  grad- 
ually take  over  the  work  and  funds  of  the  various  societies 
we  have  at  present.  To  plead  legal  obstacles  to  such  a 
course  is  absurd,  for  what  the  railroads  have  done  the 
missionary  corporations  can  do. 

It  is  hard  to  see  what  would  be  lost  by  these  changes. 
There  would  be  fewer  papers  read  in  state  and  national 
gatherings,  and  fewer  discussions  of  abstract  themes.  We 
might  not  pass  as  many  resolutions.  But  we  should  do 
more  business  and  better  business  for  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
which  is  vastly  more  important.  The  National  Council  as 
a  congress  of  our  churches  has  been  of  considerable  value. 
But  as  a  working  body  its  record  has  been  singularly  bar- 
ren. Is  it  not  time  that  we  gave  it  something  to  do  ?  For 
years  the  National  Council  has  been  advising  the  societies 
from  the  outside,  without  result.  Would  it  not  be  better 
to  put  it  inside  of  them,  and  remove  once  and  for  all  the 
charge  that  our  missionary  societies  are  something  other 
than  "the  churches  at  work"?  For  years  we  have  been 
tinkering  with  our  missionary  machinery.  Today  is  the 
acceptable  time  for  us  to  determine  what,  on  the  democratic 
principles  of  Christ,  is  the  relation  of  the  churches  to  their 
common  problems  and  common  work,  and  then  evolve  a 
plan  to  which  we  may  build,  as  fast  as  we  are  able. 

These  suggestions  are  radical,  but  no  more  radical  than 
some  of  the  changes  which  have  taken  place  in  American 
Congregationalism  within  the  last  generation.  If  it  is 
proper  for  us  to  have  administrative  bodies  at  all,  as  our 
recent  history  seems  to  indicate,  let  us  make  them  repre- 
sentative, let  us  make  them  efficient  in  their  work.  On 
this  matter  of  administration  we  must  go  to  school  to  other 
bodies  that  have  gathered  wisdom  through  experiment  and 


THE    WORK    OF    THE    CHURCH  1 89 

experience.  The  Presbyterians,  with  their  Boards  and  Gen- 
eral Assembly,  may  teach  us  something.  The  missionary 
work  of  Methodism  is  finely  organized  and  correlated.  In 
the  two  largest  democratic  bodies  in  America,  the  Baptists 
and  the  Disciples,  the  sole  national  convention  is  a 
missionary  society. 

Perhaps  the  Congregational  churches  of  Great  Britain 
have  most  to  teach  us.  The  Congregational  Union  of  Eng- 
land and  Wales,  in  its  new  constitution,  adopted  September, 
1904,  has  planned  an  administrative  system  for  the  churches 
similar  to  that  which  we  have  outlined.  A  Preamble 
defines  first  the  powers  and  duties  which  belong  to  the 
individual  church,  second  the  duties  and  responsibilities 
which  concern  Congregational  churches  as  a  whole.  It  is 
this  collective  responsibility  which  the  Union  by  its  new 
constitution  is  designed  to  fulfil.^  The  business  of  the 
Union  is  under  the  direction  of  a  General  Council,  of 
approximately  three  hundred  members,  which  presents 
annual  departmental  reports  to  a  General  Assembly  for 
confirmation.  Part  of  the  business  of  the  Council  is  stated 
to  be  as  follows :  "11.  To  maintain  and  develop  the  fra- 
ternal relations  of  Congregational  Churches,  and  to  secure 
and  direct  their  collective  action  in  such  matters  as  affect 
their  common  interests.  12.  To  initiate  such  movements 
from  time  to  time  as  may  seem  necessary  to  promote  the 
progress  of  Congregationalism,  always  securing,  wherever 
possible,  the  cooperation  of  the  County  Unions,  and  to 
consider  any  matter  referred  to  it  by  the  Churches  or  the 
County  Unions.  13.  To  secure  as  far  as  possible  uniformity 
in  the  rules  of  the  County  Unions,  especially  as  regards  the 
recognition  of  Churches  and  the  reception  and  transfer  of 
*The  new  Constitution  is  given  in  full  in  Appendix  K. 


190       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

Ministers,  the  manner  in  which  their  names  are  returned 
to  the  Congregational  Year  Book,  and  the  conditions  on 
which  they  shall  receive  the  privileges  of  the  denomination. 
14.  To  consider  the  relation  of  various  Congregational 
Societies,  Colleges,  and  other  institutions  and  Trusts  to  the 
Union,  and  to  secure  their  united  and  effective  cooperation, 
and,  where  desirable,  their  ultimate  amalgamation  with  the 
Union.  Also,  to  confer  with  the  Trustees  of  Beneficiary 
Funds  connected  with  the  denomination  with  a  view  to 
promoting  the  more  advantageous  distribution  of  those 
funds." 

Perhaps  the  scope  of  the  new  Council  may  best  be  seen 
in  the  section  defining  its  committees.  "For  administrative 
purposes  the  Council  shall  constitute  the  following  Com- 
mittees, and  such  others  as  may  be  found  necessary:  i.  A 
General  Purposes  Committee.  2.  A  Committee  for  Church 
Aid  and  Home  Missions,  Lay  Preaching,  Sustentation,  and 
Superannuation.  (It  is  hoped  that  at  an  early  date  the 
work  of  the  Congregational  Church  Aid  and  Home  Mis- 
sionary Society,  and  of  the  Congregational  Pastors'  Retiring 
Fund,  may  be  transferred  to  the  Union.)  3.  A  Committee 
for  Church  Building  and  Extension.  (It  is  hoped  that  at 
an  early  date  the  work  of  the  Enghsh  Congregational 
Chapel  Building  Society  may  be  transferred  to  the  Union.) 
4.  A  Committee  for  Literature  and  Statistics,  including  the 
Congregational  Year  Book.  5.  A  Committee  for  Finance 
and  the  Book -room.  6.  A  Committee  for  facilitating 
Ministerial  Settlements  and  Removals,  and  for  deahng  with 
the  denominational  status  of  Ministers.  7.  A  Committee 
to  include  Sunday-school  and  all  other  branches  of  Work 
amongst  the  Young.  (It  is  suggested  that  the  work  of  the 
existing  Young  People's  Union  be  transferred  to  this  Com- 


THE    WORK    OF    THE     CHURCH  I9I 

mittee.)  8.  A  Committee  to  consider  all  matters  affecting 
Primary,  Secondary,  and  Collegiate  Education.  9.  A 
Committee  to  promote  the  cause  of  Temperance.  (It  is 
suggested  that  the  work  of  the  Congregational  Total  Ab- 
stinence Association  be  transferred  to  this  Committee.) 
10.  A  Committee  to  cooperate  with  other  denominations 
to  mitigate  or  prevent  the  evils  of  Overlapping.  These 
committees  shall  be  appointed  annually.  They  shall  report 
to  the  Council  annually,  and  more  frequently  if  the  business 
requires.  The  Chairman  and  Secretary  (or  Secretaries)  of 
the  Union  and  the  Chairman  of  the  Council  shall  be 
ex-officio  Members  of  all  Committees.  The  travehng  ex- 
penses of  Members  attending  meetings  of  the  Committees 
shall  be  paid  out  of  the  funds  of  the  Union."  -^ 

III.  Foreign  Mission  Work,  the  widest  sphere  of  radiation 
of  the  churches'  business,  is  largely  distinct  from  "home" 
mission  work.  It  is  different  work  in  a  different  field,  and 
there  seems  little  or  no  reason  why  the  American  Board 
should  be  merged  in  our  proposed  home  missionary  cor- 
poration. We  note  that  in  the  new  constitution  of  the 
Congregational  Union  of  England  and  Wales,  nothing  is 
said  of  merging  with  it  the  work  of  the  London  Missionary 
Society.  The  American  Board  rather  constitutes  a  second 
missionary  corporation,  representing  the  churches  at  work 
abroad.  Possibly  the  local  Conferences  and  the  state  Asso- 
ciations should  act  as  nominating  and  collecting  agencies 
for  both  home  and  foreign  work. 

The  democratizing  of  the  American  Board's  manage- 
ment, so  as  to  make  it  truly  representative  of  the  churches, 

^The  reader  is  reminded  that  the  British  Union,  for  obvious 
reasons,  combines  in  one  organization  the  functions  of  our  state  and 
national  bodies. 


192       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

began  in  the  controversies  of  a  dozen  years  ago  and  is  now 
in  a  fair  way  to  completion.^  The  recent  storm  over  the 
Rockefeller  gift,  without  entering  into  the  merits  of  the 
dispute,  has  suggested  two  truths  in  regard  to  all  missionary 
administration.  First,  that  the  American  Board,  or  any 
other  of  our  societies,  is  simply  "we."  It  is  not  a  corpora- 
tion outside  of  the  churches.  It  is  rather  the  Congrega- 
tionalists  of  America  about  a  particular  side  of  their  Father's 
business.  Morally  the  American  Board  can  only  carry  out 
the  will  of  the  churches ;  it  can  do  nothing  against  their 
will.  Second,  though  a  missionary  society  simply  represents 
the  churches  and  is  responsible  to  them,  its  management 
must  be  vested  in  a  body  that  is  stable  and  not  liable  to  be 
swayed  by  a  sudden  storm  of  popular  passion.  That  is,  our 
missionary  affairs  must  be  handled,  not  by  a  mass  assembly, 
elected  for  a  short  term,  but  by  a  "Board,"  whose  constitu- 
ent membership  it  requires  several  years  to  change.  The 
successive  elections  by  local  or  state  bodies  of  representa- 
tives to  one  of  our  missionary  corporations  will  allow  time 
for  popular  sentiment  to  deepen  or  cool. 

All  that  has  been  said  of  home  mission  work  applies 
also  to  foreign.  On  Democratic  principles,  every  Chris- 
tian is  a  missionary,  every  church  is  a  foreign  mission  so- 
ciety, every  local  Conference  is  an  auxiliary  of  the  Board. 

^The  basis  of  membership  in  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  as  amended 
at  Grinnell  in  1904,  is  as  follows:  i.  Members  previously  constituted 
who  hold  over;  2.  Representatives  of  local  Conferences;  3.  Represen- 
tatives of  state  Associations;  4.  About  an  equal  number  (150)  of 
members  at  large;  5.  Missionaries  after  seven  years'  service,  while  in 
commission.  The  changes  aimed  "to  secure  a  broad  and  equitable 
representation  of  the  churches  of  our  order,  and  at  the  same  time  to  con- 
serve the  stability  of  administration  and  the  sense  of  individual  respon- 
sibility which  are  essential  to  the  well-being  of  the  Board  " 


CHAPTER  XIII 

CONCLUSION 

We  are  now  in  a  position  to  see  what  is  meant  by  that 
Democracy  in  the  Church  which  Congregationalism  and 
sister  bodies  have  sought  to  embody  in  their  polity.  It  is 
built  upon  the  promises  of  Christ  and  their  fulfilment.  It 
means  the  personal  Lordship  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  continu- 
ous leadership  of  the  Lord  the  Spirit,  the  presence  of  that 
Spirit  which  was  to  guide  us  into  all  the  truth,  not  only 
truth  in  doctrine,  but  truth  in  conduct  and  truth  in  work. 
Christ  left  the  earth  in  His  humanity,  only  to  return  to  it 
as  an  omnipresent  Spirit.  We  do  not  need  to  wait  for  His 
coming.  We  need  only  to  recognize  His  presence.  "The 
Holy  Spirit  is  now  as  much  in  the  world,  and  in  the 
Church  and  in  the  Hfe  of  every  believer,  as  He  ever  can  or 
ever  will  be."  Every  follower  of  Christ  may  seek  and  find 
His  presence.  His  strength.  His  guidance. 

This  is  not  a  doctrine  of  the  schools,  but  a  truth  of 
practical  Hfe,  which  the  experience  of  the  Christian  cen- 
turies has  proved.  There  is  nothing  mystical  about  it, 
nothing  mysterious,  except  as  all  life,  human  and  divine,  all 
action  of  one  personality  on  another  is  mysterious.  When 
the  Spirit  of  Christ  comes  into  a  human  Hfe,  it  comes  to 
abide ;  it  comes  with  intent  to  stay.  It  makes  its  influence 
felt  in  every  department  of  life,  through  every  faculty  of 
the  man's  being.    It  purifies  his  thinking,  making  it  healthy 

(193) 


194       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

and  sane.  It  quickens  his  sympathies  and  clarifies  his  judg- 
ment. We  do  not  need  to  see  visions  and  hear  voices. 
The  normal  manifestation  of  the  Spirit  is  in  the  quicken- 
ing of  our  ordinary  faculties.  We  must  live  in  such  harmony 
w^ith  God  that  the  Scripture,  interpreted  by  enlightened 
common  sense,  becomes  the  Word  of  God  to  us.  We 
must  hve  in  such  close  sympathy  w^ith  the  Master  that  we 
can  say:  "We  have  the  Spirit  of  Christ;  we  have  the 
Mind  of  Christ."  Then  w^hen  w^e  judge,  it^  is  hkely  to  be 
a  correct  judgment ;  vv^hen  we  choose,  w^e  are  Hkely  to 
choose  right.  And  vv^hat  is  true  of  the  individual  is  still 
more  true  of  the  group  of  Christ-filled  men. 

"One  is  your  Master,  even  the  Christ."  This  means, 
negatively,  that  there  can  be  no  Lordship  but  His,  in  the 
sphere  of  conscience  and  judgment.  The  believer  is  respon- 
sible to  Him  alone.  The  group  of  Christians,  vv^ith  Christ 
in  the  midst,  is  complete  in  itself.  The  assumption  by  men 
of  legislative  or  judicial  powders  is  an  impertinence,  a  denial 
of  the  presence  and  authority  of  the  Lord. 

The  Lordship  of  Christ  means,  positively,  that  the  be- 
liever or  the  church  is  free  to  do  His  w^ill,  not  our  will  but 
His.  We  are  free  to  follow^  His  bidding,  to  carry  out  His 
plans.  This  is  the  glorious  hberty  of  the  sons  of  God.  It  is 
not  the  license  of  an  anarchic  state,  the  Hberty  of  a  social 
contract  purely  human. 

Congregationalism  is  simply  the  application  of  this  Lord- 
ship of  the  Spirit  to  the  exigencies  of  ecclesiastical  life  and 
government.  We  believe  that  "he  that  seeketh  findeth," 
that  every  body  of  sincere  Christians  has  been  able  to  claim 
that  guidance,  that  every  branch  of  the  Church  in  every 
age  has  been  under  His  tutelage  and  may  offer  its  lessons 
of  suggestion  or  of  warning.    But  what  we  allow  to  other 


CONCLUSION  195 

bodies  and  other  ages  of  the  Church  we  claim  for  ourselves. 
We  base  the  modern  Church,  not  on  the  practices  of  the 
fathers,  not  on  the  usages  of  Jerusalem  or  Corinth,  but  on 
the  principles,  instructions  and  promises  of  the  Lord.  We 
find  in  His  teachings  no  articulated  scheme  of  church  govern- 
ment. We  find  rather  an  ideal,  a  command,  a  promise, — 
the  close  and  mutual  relations  between  the  Living  Christ 
and  the  behever,  between  Him  and  His  Church.  This 
Lordship  of  the  Spirit  we  have  sought  to  embody  in  our 
polity.  The  problem  is  simply  this:  Given  the  abiding 
Christ,  irame  the  church  polity  which  shall  best  realize  that 
abiding,  in  our  individual  and  our  associated  Hfe. 

As  a  form  of  government  that  leaves  the  local  congrega- 
tions of  the  Church  Universal  to  work  out  their  own  prob- 
lems under  the  guidance  of  His  Spirit,  Congregationalism 
offers  a  solution  for  the  pressing  question  of  Church  Unity. 
In  its  theory  of  the  Ministry  it  emphasizes,  in  place  of  sa- 
cerdotalism, the  priesthood  of  believers  and  the  aristocracy  of 
service.  In  its  theory  of  Baptism  and  church-membership 
it  makes  a  clear  distinction  between  the  spiritual  environ- 
ment of  the  Kingdom  and  the  conscious  discipleship  of  the 
Church.  In  its  theory  of  Christian  work,  it  emphasizes 
local  and  individual  responsibility,  making  every  Christian  a 
missionary,  every  church  a  missionary  society.  We  believe 
these  truths  to  be  essential  to  the  best  life  of  the  Church, 
to  the  realization  of  Christ's  abiding.  Congregationalism 
has  a  mission  in  America,  which  we  must  recognize,  and 
toward  whose  fulfilment  we  must  press  forward. 

Changes  in  our  polity  will  be  necessary,  to  purge  it  of 
undemocratic  elements,  to  render  it  more  efficient  in  the 
common  work  of  Christ's  Church.  Some  of  these  probable 
or  possible  changes  we   have  suggested   in  the   preceding 


196       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

chapters.  Two  truths  only  we  would  emphasize  here. 
First,  the  need  of  an  adequate  administrative  system.  This 
need  our  churches  are  now  seeking  to  meet,  principally 
through  the  development  of  the  local  Conference  and  the 
realignment  of  our  missionary  machinery.  Out  of  the  many 
and  varied  experiments  a  strong  and  democratic  system  is 
emerging.  But  a  second  truth  must  be  borne  constantly  in 
mind,  by  ourselves  and  by  other  bodies  with  which  we  are  dis- 
cussing union.  Uniformity  in  local  administration  throughout 
the  country  is  neither  possible  nor  desirable.  This  is  impossi- 
ble, because  our  polity,  following  a  true  social  law  as  well  as 
a  New  Testament  precedent,  makes  the  type  of  association 
in  the  local  group  of  churches  (as  in  the  churches  them- 
selves) the  outgrowth  of  local  needs  rather  than  the  crea- 
tion of  a  legislative  fiat.  It  is  undesirable,  both  because  local 
needs  vary,  and  because  that  government  succeeds  best 
which  derives  its  powers  from  the  free  consent  of  the 
governed. 

We  must  labor  at  the  proper  readjustment  of  our  polity, 
remembering  this  lesson  of  our  history  and  of  all  history, 
unity  in  variety.  But  the  great  work  before  us  is  not  in 
polity  but  in  life.  Our  Moderator,  from  his  watch-tower, 
has  said:  "We  are  the  oldest  of  the  American  Churches  in 
years,  and  we  seem  to  be  the  youngest  in  spirit."^  Con- 
gregationalism is  suited  to  the  spirit  and  needs  of  the  age, 
for,  as  another  has  said,  "democracy  develops  manhood, 
while  authority  dwarfs  it."^  And  in  the  words  of  Dr. 
Gordon:  "The  people  of  the  United  States  are  democratic 
in  history,  in  feeling,  in  institutions,  in  all  their  sympathies 
and  in  all  their  ideals.    The  priestly  church,  the  aristocratic 

*  Washington  Gladden,  Minneapolis,  Nov.  16,  1904. 
'H.  P.  DeForest,  Congregational  Fellonvship,  etc.,  30. 


CONCLUSION  197 

church,  is  here  under  immense  initial  embarrassment.  The 
church  that  founds  its  ministry  upon  manhood,  that  de- 
scribes itself  as  a  company  of  the  disciples  of  Jesus  Christ, 
whose  aims  are  all  for  the  equalization  of  men  before  the 
law,  before  the  human  conscience,  in  human  feeling,  in 
social  custom,  and  in  the  presence  of  the  Infinite,  whose 
spirit  is  one  of  intense  and  abounding  humanity,  must 
possess  an  unmeasured  initial  advantage  with  the  people  of 
the  United  States.  If  we  do  not  succeed  it  is  not  because 
of  our  polity.  .  .  .  It  is  because  we  are  unworthy  of  our 
history ;  it  is  because  we  have  forgotten  the  price  by  which 
our  freedom  was  bought ;  it  is  because  we  are  Wind  to  the 
issue  that  confronted  the  Pilgrims,  Wind  to  the  meaning  of 
their  struggle  and  to  the  magnificence  of  their  victory. 
They  fought  for  the  primacy  of  the  people,  for  the  ascen- 
dancy in  all  human  affairs  of  the  human  being,  for  the 
sovereignty  of  man  under  the  sovereignty  of  God.  If  we 
fail  it  will  be,  not  because  of  a  poor  poHty,  but  because  of 
deficient  manhood ;  not  for  want  of  better  organization,  but 
for  want  of  wider  sympathies ;  not  because  we  are  without 
bishops,  but  because  we  are  without  men."  ^ 

What    Democracy   in    the    Church    expresses,  what  itA 
cultivates,  is  the  responsibility  of  the  individual  to  Christ.  / 
We  say  to  our  members,  in  the  words  of  Paul  and  in  the 
spirit  of   the   Master:    "Ye   are   the   body   of   Christ,    and) 
severally  members  thereof."    Perhaps  no  single  company  of 
Christians  ever   existed   that   was,   Hterally,    "the   body  of 
Christ."    As  Dr.  Dexter  says,  "Congregationalism  is  pre- 
eminently the  polity  of  perfect  men,  and  it  cannot  do  its 
perfect  work  until  there  be  perfect  men."^   Other  bodies 

^  Denominational  Memories,  30. 

^  Cong,  as  Seen,  694;  the  quotation  below  is  his  paraphrase  of 
Robert  Browne,  p.  714. 


198       DEMOCRACY  IN  THE  CHURCH 

of  Christians  have  been  content  to  wait  for  this  day  to 
come  before  they  gave  the  pow^er  of  the  keys  into  the  hands 
of  the  membership.  But  we  of  the  democratic  churches  of 
America  refuse  to  wait  for  ideal  conditions  before  we  set 
up  on  earth  the  ideal  Church.  We  do  not  so  read  the 
words  of  the  Lord,  the  principles  of  Democracy  which  He 
has  given.  The  task  before  us  is  to  make  Christ's  ideal 
of  the  Church  more  and  more  of  a  reality.  We  are  to 
make  it  true,  of  every  church  in  every  department  of  its 
Hfe,  that  "the  glorious  Lord  reveals  Himself  in,  and  reigns 
through,  each  willing  sensitive  cooperating  heart." 


APPENDIXES 


APPENDIX  A 

PLAN  OF  UNION  BETfTEEN  CONGREGATIONALISTS, 
METHODIST  PROTESTANTS  AND  UNITED  BRETHREN 

As  Adopted  by  the  General  Assemblies  of  the  Three  Bodies 

1 .  We  are  agreed  that  the  formulated  statements  of  doctrine 
as  held  by  each  of  these  bodies  at  present  are  essentially  the 
same ;  and  we  affirm  them  all  as  expressing  "  the  truth  as  it  is 
in  Jesus." 

2.  We  are  agreed  that  these  bodies  shall  retain  their  present 
name  and  their  autonomy  in  respect  to  all  local  affairs,  but  that 
they  add  to  their  official  title  the  words,  **  in  affiliation  with  the 
General  Council  of  the  United  Churches." 

3.  We  recommend  that  these  bodies  authorize  the  creation  of 
a  General  Council,  composed  of  representatives  elected  from 
their  respective  bodies,  on  the  basis  of  one  representative  for 
every  five  thousand  members. 

4.  The  powers  of  the  General  Council  shall  be  advisory,  and 
any  recommendation  it  may  make  shall  be  referred  to  the  con- 
stituent bodies  for  approval. 

5.  A  committee  of  three  from  each  of  the  general  bodies 
represented  shall  be  appointed  to  arrange  for  the  time  and  place 
of  the  first  meeting  of  the  General  Council. 

6.  At  the  first  session  of  the  General  Council,  a  temporary 
organization  shall  be  effected  by  the  election  of  a  chairman  and 
secretary ;  and  the  council  itself  shall  determine  the  officers  it 
may  need  and  the  manner  of  permanent  organization  it  may 
prefer. 

7.  The  purposes  of  the  General  Council  shall  be : 

(201) 


202  APPENDIX 

(i)  To  present,  so  far  as  we  possibly  can,  a  realization  of 
that  unity  which  seems  so  greatly  desired  by  Christian  churches. 

(2)  To  promote  a  better  knowledge  and  a  closer  fellowship 
among  the  Christian  bodies  thus  uniting. 

(3)  To  secure  the  coordination  and  unification  of  the  three 
bodies  in  evangelistic,  educational  and  missionary  work. 

(4)  To  adopt  a  plan  by  which  the  three  bodies  may  be 
brought  into  coordinate  activity  and  organic  unity,  a  unity  rep- 
resenting some  form  of  connectionalism. 

(5)  To  prevent  the  unnecessary  multiplication  of  churches; 
to  unite  weak  churches  of  the  same  neighborhood  wherever  it  is 
practicable,  and  to  invite  and  encourage  the  affiliation  with  this 
council  of  other  Christian  bodies  cherishing  a  kindred  faith  and 
purpose. 

RESULTS  OF  THE  DAYTON  COUNCIL 

Action  Taken  by  Representatives  of  the  Uniting  Bodies  at  Dayton, 
Ohio,  February  7-9,  1906 

THE  FRAMEWORK  OF  THE  NEW  ORGANIZATION 

APPROVED    REPORT  OF  THE   COMMITTEE   ON    POLITY 
I.   PRINCIPLES 

{a)  The  unit  of  our  fellowship  is  the  local  church,  and  the 
character  of  our  fellowship  is  that  of  a  representative  democracy. 

{b)  Our  coordinate  principles  are  freedom  and  fellowship,  a 
freedom  which  leaves  each  local  church  free  in  its  separate 
affairs,  a  fellowship  which  unites  all  the  churches  for  mutual 
care  and  cooperant  action. 

In  accordance  with  these  principles  we  recommend  the  fol- 
lowing plan  of  organization  : 

2.   THE   VARIOUS  CONFERENCES 

{a)  The  local  churches  shall  be  left  free  to  conduct  their 
worship  and  business  as  their  present  customs  provide. 


APPENDIX  203 

(b)  It  is  suggested  that  so  far  as  may  be  the  churches  in 
separate  districts  be  united  in  district  conferences,  which  shall 
provide  for  fellowship  and  care  of  the  churches  connected  with 
them. 

(c)  There  shall  be  constituted  annual  conferences  of  the 
ministers  and  representatives  elected  from  churches  and  pastoral 
charges  ;  and  their  territory  limits  shall  be  fixed  by  a  commission 
of  the  representatives  of  the  three  bodies  in  the  state. 

(</)  It  is  recommended  that  the  national  cpnference  shall  be 
constituted  after  the  following  manner : 

Each  district  conference  shall  present  to  the  annual  con- 
ference the  names  of  two  persons,  one  lay  and  one  clerical,  from 
which  as  a  whole  the  annual  conference  shall  elect  delegates  to 
the  national  conference  on  the  basis  of  one  to  every  ten  thousand 
and  one  for  every  major  fraction  thereof.  In  case  an  annual 
conference  is  not  fully  organized  into  district  conferences,  the 
annual  conference  shall  elect  such  delegates  according  to  its  own 
methods. 

The  annual  conference  shall  also  be  empowered  to  elect,  on 
the  same  basis  of  representation,  delegates  to  the  national  con- 
ference, provided,  however,  that  each  annual  conference  shall 
have  at  least  one  delegate. 

We  further  recommend  that  the  appointments  be  distributed 
as  equally  as  possible  between  the  clerical  and  lay  delegates. 

It  shall  be  in  the  power  of  the  national  conference  to  change 
the  ratio  of  representation  according  as  necessity  may  require. 

3.   OFFICERS  AND    THEIR  DUTIES 

(a)  In  the  national  conference  there  shall  be  elected  a  presi- 
dent who  shall  preside  over  this  body  and  hold  ofiice  until  the 
next  national  meeting ;  he  also  shall  give  his  whole  time  to  the 
work  of  the  united  churches,  and  annually  in  connection  with 
one  representative  from  each  department  of  church  work,  he 
shall  hold  meetings  to  plan  for  the  work  of  the  church. 


204  APPENDIX 

(b)  In  each  annual  conference  there  shall  be  elected  a  com- 
mittee to  aid  in  keeping  the  churches  supplied  with  pastors ;  and 
each  annual  conference  shall  determine  for  itself  the  mode  of 
supplying  the  churches  with  pastors. 

{c)  In  each  annual  conference  there  shall  be  elected  one  or 
more  superintendents  who  may  preside  at  the  sessions  of  the 
annual  conferences  and  over  the  meetings  of  the  committee  of 
ministerial  supply,  and  shall  give  their  whole  time  to  the  general 
work  of  the  church  within  the  bounds  of  their  respective  annual 
conferences.  Provided,  however,  that  the  conference  may  asso- 
ciate a  chairman  with  the  superintendent  in  directing  the  work 
of  the  conference  sessions. 

4.   MINISTERIAL  STANDING 

(a)  All  ministers  in  good  standing  in  any  of  the  denomina- 
tions represented  in  this  union  shall  be  ministers  of  this  new 
body.  All  licentiates  shall  retain  their  standing  for  the  period 
of  their  licensure. 

All  ministers  under  suspension  shall  look  for  relief  from 
their  disabilities  from  the  body  that  imposed  the  restrictions. 
This  shall  hold  until  new  rules  are  formulated  for  licensure, 
ordination  and  ministerial  standing. 

(b)  Ministerial  standing  shall  be  in  the  district  conferences 
or  in  the  annual  conferences  as  may  be  determined  by  each 
annual  conference. 

The  following  supplemental  paper  from  the  United  Brethren 
delegates  was  presented  : 

It  is  understood  that  the  provisions  here  included  do  not  set 
aside  the  principle  of  the  so-called  itinerant  plan  where  now  in 
operation.  Furthermore,  it  is  fully  understood  that  the  best 
plans  and  efforts  shall  be  adopted  to  secure  to  rural  and  scat- 
tered congregations  everywhere  the  most  effective  ministerial 
service  and  to  promote  wide  and  genuine  evangelization  in  every 


APPENDIX  205 

accessible  field.  As  one  provision  to  facilitate  the  accomplish- 
ment of  these  ends  the  churches  shall  adopt  as  far  as  possible, 
and  as  deemed  wise,  a  common  church  year. 

THE    DECLARATION    OF    FAITH 

We,  the  representatives  of  the  Congregational  churches,  the 
Church  of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ  and  the  Methodist 
Protestant  Church  rejoice  at  this  time  to  enter  into  union  with 
one  another,  through  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  the 
love  of  God  and  for  fellowship  in  the  Holy  Spirit.  In  this 
solemn  act  of  faith  and  obedience  toward  the  great  Head  of  the 
Church,  we  do  most  humbly  and  confidently  make  confession  of 
our  faith,  and  heartily  renew  the  consecration  of  our  lives  to 
him  and  to  the  service  of  mankind. 

1.  Our  bond  of  union  consists  in  that  inward  and  personal 
faith  in  Jesus  Christ  as  our  divine  Saviour  and  Lord  on  which 
all  our  churches  are  founded  ;  also  in  our  acceptance  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures  as  the  inspired  source  of  our  faith  and  the 
supreme  standard  of  Christian  truth ;  and  further,  in  our  con- 
sent to  the  teaching  of  the  ancient  symbols  of  the  undivided 
Church,  and  to  that  substance  of  Christian  doctrine  which  is 
common  to  the  creeds  and  confessions  which  we  have  inherited 
from  the  past.  But  we  humbly  depend,  as  did  our  fathers, 
on  the  continued  guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  lead  us  into 
all  the  truth. 

2.  We  believe  that  God,  the  Father  and  Lord  of  all,  did  send 
his  son  Jesus  Christ  to  redeem  us  from  sin  and  death  by  the 
perfect  obedience  of  his  holy  will  in  life,  by  the  sacrifice  of  him- 
self on  the  cross  and  by  his  glorious  resurrection  from  the  dead. 

3.  We  believe  that  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  Spirit  of  God  and  of 
Christ,  moves  in  the  hearts  of  men,  calling  them  through  the 
gospel  to  repentance  and  faith,  awakening  in  them  spiritual 
sorrow  for  past  sin  and  confidence  in  the  mercy  of  God, 
together  with  new  desires  and  a  new  power  to  obey  his  will. 


206  APPENDIX 

4.  We  believe  that  those  of  the  sons  of  men,  who,  hearing 
God's  call  of  divine  love,  do  heartily  put  their  trust  in  the 
Saviour  whom  his  love  provided,  are  assured  by  his  word  of  his 
most  fatherly  forgiveness,  of  his  free  and  perfect  favor,  of  the 
presence  of  his  spirit  in  their  hearts  and  of  a  blessed  immortality. 

5.  We  believe  that  all  who  are  through  faith  the  children  of 
God  constitute  the  Church  of  Christ,  the  spiritual  body  of  which 
he  is  the  head  ;  that  he  has  appointed  them  to  proclaim  his 
gospel  to  all  mankind,  to  manifest  in  their  character  and  conduct 
the  fruit  of  his  spirit,  that  he  has  granted  them  freedom  to  create 
such  offices  and  institutions  as  may  in  each  generation  serve  unto 
those  ends,  and  that  for  the  comfort  of  our  faith  he  has  given  to 
his  Church  the  sacred  ordinances  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's 
Supper. 

6.  We  believe  that  according  to  Christ's  law  men  of  the 
Christian  faith  exist  for  the  service  of  man,  not  only  in  holding 
forth  the  word  of  life,  but  in  the  support  of  works  and  institu- 
tions of  pity  and  charity,  in  the  maintenance  of  human  freedom, 
in  the  deliverance  of  all  those  that  are  oppressed,  in  the  enforce- 
ment of  civic  justice,  in  the  rebuke  of  all  unrighteousness. 

Possessed  of  these  convictions,  both  as  truths  which  we  do 
most  firmly  hold,  and  acts  of  faith  which  spring  from  our  hearts, 
we  do,  therefore,  in  the  happy  consummation  of  this  union  and 
in  the  name  of  all  the  churches  which  we  represent,  commit  our- 
selves, body,  soul  and  spirit  to  the  faith,  love  and  service  of  him 
who  made  us  and  saved  us,  the  everlasting  God,  our  Father, 
Redeemer  and  Lord.  To  him  be  ascribed  all  praise  and 
dominion  and  glory,  world  without  end.    Amen, 


APPENDIX  207 

UNION  IN   CANADA 

From  Letter  to  the  Churches  of  the  Congregational  Union  of  Ontario 
and  Quebec  and  to  the  Churches  of  the  Ontario  Conference  of 
the  United  Brethren  in  Christ,  Drafted  by  the  Joint  Committee, 
November  23,  1905. 

After  a  full,  frank,  prayerful  discussion,  we  arrived  unani- 
mously at  the  following  conclusions : 

First.  We  recognize  that  in  polity  both  denominations  are 
fundamentally  and  essentially  democratic  ;  that  the  United  Breth- 
ren, though  using  the  form  of  an  Episcopacy,  have  in  reality  simply 
delegated  leadership  and  brotherly  cooperation,  while  all  author- 
ity centers  in  the  local  church. 

Secondly.  The  principles  and  polity  of  the  Congregational 
Churches  are  sufficiently  broad  and  free  to  admit  of  the  reception 
of  the  churches  of  the  United  Brethren  Conference  as  an  Asso- 
ciation of  Congregational  Churches  and  as  members  of  the  Union 
while  still  retaining  those  methods  of  supervision  and  cooperation 
so  valued  by  them.  These  were  detailed  by  the  United  Brethren 
Committee  as  follows : 

In  uniting  with  the  Congregational  Union  of  Ontario  and 
Quebec  we  would  desire:  — 

1.  That  we  retain  our  identity  as  a  group  of  churches,  and 
suggest  that  such  group  be  known  as  "The  United  Brethren 
Association  of  Congregational  Churches." 

2.  That  we  retain  the  principle  of  superintendency. 

3.  That  we  retain  our  itinerancy. 

4.  That  we  as  an  Association  have  the  right  to  establish  our 
courses  of  study  and  standards  for  the  ordination  of  the  ministry. 

5.  That  the  Association  establish  a  Financial  standard  of 
Benevolences. 


APPENDIX  B 

FEDERATION  OF  CHURCHES 
The  Interdenominational  Commission  of  Maine 

STATEMENT  OF  PRINCIPLES 
Adopted  December  9,  1892 

Recognizing  the  evident  desire  of  the  evangelical  denomina- 
tions  of  Maine  to  do  more  efficient  work  for  our  common  Lord, 
and 

Believing  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  moving  Christians  toward 
practical  cooperation  ; 

We  rejoice  in  the  progress  already  made  in  this  direction, 
and  desire  to  affirm  our  convictions  as  follows  : 

I.  That  the  churches  in  the  cities  and  larger  towns  ought  to 
cooperate  according  to  the  plans  of  the  evangelical  alliance,  or 
others  of  similar  nature. 

II.  That  church  extension  into  destitute  communities  should 
be  conducted,  as  far  as  practicable,  according  to  the  following 
considerations : 

1.  No  community,  in  which  any  denomination  has  any  legiti- 
mate claim,  should  be  entered  by  any  other  denomination 
through  its  official  agencies  without  conference  with  the  denomi- 
nation or  denominations  having  said  claims. 

2.  A  feeble  church  should  be  revived,  if  possible,  rather  than 
a  new  one  established  to  become  its  rival. 

3.  The  preferences  of  a  community  should  always  be  regarded 
by  denominational  committees,  missionary  agents,  and  individual 
workers. 

(208) 


APPENDIX  209 

4.  Those  denominations  having  churches  nearest  at  hand 
should,  other  things  being  equal,  be  recognized  as  in  the  most 
advantageous  position  to  encourage  and  aid  a  new  enterprise  in 
their  vicinity. 

5.  In  case  one  denomination  begins  gospel  work  in  a  desti- 
tute community  it  should  be  left  to  develop  that  work  without 
other  denominational  interference. 

6.  Temporary  suspension  of  church  work  by  any  denomina- 
tion occupying  a  field  should  not  be  deemed  sufficient  warrant 
in  itself  for  entrance  into  that  field  by  another  denomination. 
Temporary  suspension  should  be  deemed  temporary  abandon- 
ment when  a  church  has  had  no  preaching  and  held  no  meetings 
for  an  entire  year  or  more. 

7.  All  questions  of  interpretation  of  the  foregoing  statements, 
and  all  cases  of  friction  between  denominations,  or  churches  of 
diflFerent  denominations,  should  be  referred  to  the  Commission 
through  its  executive   Committee. 

On  January  24,  1905,  the  Commission  took  a  further  forward 
step  by  passing  the  following  resolution,  which  aims  at  ecclesi- 
astical reciprocity : 

**  In  our  State  are  many  towns  in  which  are  two  or  more 
churches,  small  and  weak,  because  the  population  has  moved 
into  the  cities.  If  these  weak  churches  could  be  consolidated 
and  the  religious  forces  of  the  community  combined,  without 
engendering  local  strife  or  personal  estrangement,  the  cause  of 
Christ  would  be  strengthened,  the  problem  of  the  churches 
largely  solved,  and  the  people  greatly  blessed. 

**  It  is  time  for  the  Commission  to  do  more  than  merely  settle 
questions  of  dispute  which  may  arise  and  be  referred  to  it ;  it  is 
time  for  it  to  lead  with  some  preventive  and  constructive  policy. 
Hitherto  our  energy  has  been  chiefly  expended  in  crying  *  Hands 
oflp !  '  to  those  who  competed  in  rivalry  and  friction.  Cannot 
we  emphasize  and  realize  fraternal  relations  and  cry  *  Hands 
together  !  ' 


2IO  APPENDIX 

"  To  this  end  we  recommend  the  following  policy  of 
reciprocity  : 

"  I.  That  the  denominations  through  their  supervising  rep- 
resentatives, such  as  State  agents,  home  missionaries  or  presiding 
elders,  report  to  the  Commission  the  names  of  towns  in  which  a 
union  of  churches  may  seem  desirable,  in  order  that  the  Com- 
mission may  serve  as  a  clearing  house  and  bureau  of  reciprocity. 

*'  2.  That  the  Commission  then  shall  consider  the  conditions 
in  these  several  towns,  the  constituencies  of  the  churches  and 
the  changes  which  would  appear  desirable  for  the  best  welfare  of 
the  communities ;  and,  when  the  Commission  finds  that  an 
equitable  exchange  can  be  made  so  that  in  one  town  denomina- 
tion A  may  surrender  to  denomination  B  its  church  interests, 
and  in  another  town  denomination  B  can  surrender  an  equal 
interest  to  denomination  A,  then  the  Commission  shall  recom- 
mend to  the  two  denominations  such  an  exchange. 

"3.  That  such  reciprocal  exchanges  shall  be  contemplated 
only  between  those  denominations  which  distinctly  commit 
themselves  to  the  plan,  and  the  interests  of  other  denominations 
shall  be  in  no  wise  molested  by  recommendations  of  the 
Commission. 

"4.  It  is  recognized  that  this  plan  requires  great  care  and 
consideration  in  its  execution  lest  the  prejudices  and  feelings  of 
local  church  members  be  ignored  and  ideal  states  be  sought 
which  are  not  practical.  Particularly  must  all  conscientious 
scruples  be  carefully  safeguarded  and  good  feeling  and  brotherly 
love  be  preserved. 

"5.  This  plan  distinctly  confesses  that  so-called  '  union  ' 
churches,  while  approved  in  some  places,  yet  incur  so  many 
perils,  through  their  lack  of  associational  fellowship  or  superior 
ecclesiastical  supervision,  through  having  no  larger  missionary 
interests,  either  home  or  foreign,  and  no  approved  ministry  from 
which  to  secure  pastoral  care,  as  to  be  unwise  organizations  to 
encourage.  This  plan  aims  at  consolidating  religious  forces  and 
leaving  them  within  the  limits  of  denominational    fellowship." 


APPENDIX   C 

THE  BOSTON  UNION  CONFERENCE 
CONSTITUTION 

ARTICLE   I.    NAME 

This  conference  shall  be  called  the  Union  Conference  of 
Congregational  Churches  of  Boston  and  Vicinity. 

ARTICLE   II.    OBJECT 

Its  object  is  to  promote  Christian  fellowship,  the  welfare  of 
the  churches  and  the  extension  of  Christ's  kingdom  through 
Congregationalism. 

ARTICLE   III.    MEETINGS 

The  annual  meeting  shall  be  held  on  the  second  Wednesday 
in  November.  Special  meetings  shall  be  called  by  the  Secretary- 
Treasurer,  at  the  request  of  the  Board  of  Commissioners,  who 
shall  make  the  necessary  arrangements  therefor. 

ARTICLE   IV.    OFFICERS 

The  officers  shall  consist  of  a  Moderator,  a  Secretary-Treas- 
urer, and  a  Board  of  five  Commissioners,  all  to  be  elected  by  the 
Union  Conference,  the  Moderator  and  the  Board  of  Commission- 
ers for  the  term  of  one  year,  and  the  Secretary-Treasurer  for 
the  term  of  three  years. 


212  APPENDIX 

ARTICLE   V.    DUTIES  OF  OFFICERS 

The  Moderator  shall  preside  at  the  meeting  at  which  he  is 
elected. 

The  Secretary-Treasurer  shall  keep  the  records  and  conduct 
the  correspondence  of  the  conference,  and  shall  receive  and  dis- 
burse the  funds  under  the  direction  of  the  Commissioners. 

ARTICLE  VI.    COMMISSIONERS 

Section  i.  Field  of  Operation.  The  field  of  operation  shall 
be  within  the  geographical  limits  of  the  three  Suffolk  Confer- 
ences, but  may,  in  the  discretion  of  the  Commissioners,  be 
extended  to  the  limits  of  the  Congregational  Church  Union  of 
Boston  and  Vicinity. 

Section  2.  'Duties.  The  duties  of  the  Commissioners  shall 
be  as  follows : 

(a)  To  consider  the  opportunities  and  responsibilities  of  the 
Congregational  churches  of  Boston  and  vicinity  for  Christian 
work,  and  take  such  initiative  as  the  Commissioners  deem  neces- 
sary. 

(b)  To  proffer  counsel  and  arbitration  where  needed. 

(c)  To  secure  better  comity  between  the  societies  and 
organizations  operating  in  its  field. 

(</)  To  provide  information  for  those  desiring  it,  concerning 
the  principles  and  methods  of  Congregationalism. 

(e)  To  make  an  annual  report  to  the  Conference. 

(/)  The  Commissioners  shall  elect  their  own  officers. 

(g)  The  Commissioners  shall  have  power  to  fill  vacancies 
in  their  own  body. 

Section  3.  Method  of  Election'. 

(a)  One  Commissioner  shall  be  elected  from  each  confer- 
ence district. 

(b)  The  representatives  of  the  churches  assembled  in  each 
local  conference  shall  nominate  three  candidates  from  its  district 
for  the  office  of  Commissioner. 


APPENDIX  213 

(c)  These  nine  names  shall  be  printed  on  one  ballot,  which 
shall  designate  the  conference  district  to  which  each  belongs. 
The  one  from  each  conference  district  receiving  the  highest 
number  of  votes  shall  be  declared  elected.  Of  the  remaining  six, 
the  two  receiving  the  highest  number  of  votes  shall  be  declared 
elected. 

Section  4.  Tenure  of  Office.  No  person  shall  serve  more  than 
five  consecutive  years  as  Commissioner,  nor  be  eligible  for  re- 
election after  such  a  term  of  office  until  the  expiration  of  one 
year. 

ARTICLE  VII.    COMMITTEES 

There  shall  be  a  Nominating  Committee  of  five,  a  Committee 
of  Arrangements  of  five,  and  a  Business  Committee  of  three. 

The  Nominating  Committee  shall  be  appointed  at  each  annual 
meeting  to  serve  for  one  year,  and  make  nominations  for  offices 
to  be  filled  at  the  next  annual  meeting,  except  those  otherwise 
provided  for. 

The  Committee  of  Arrangements  shall  be  appointed  at  each 
annual  meeting  to  prepare  for  the  succeeding  annual  meeting. 

The  Business  Committee  shall  be  appointed  at  the  first 
session  of  each  meeting  to  report  on  any  business  which  may  be 
submitted  for  the  action  of  the  Conference. 

ARTICLE  VIII.    MEMBERSHIP  IN  THE   CONFERENCE 

The  churches  comprising  the  Suffolk  North,  Suffolk  West 
and  Suffolk  South  conferences  shall  constitute  the  Union  Confer- 
ence and  each  church  shall  be  entitled  to  five  delegates,  including 
the  pastor. 

ARTICLE  IX.    THE   CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH  UNION 

The  Union  Conference  shall  at  each  annual  meeting,  nomi- 
nate, for  election  by  the  Congregational  Church  Union  of  Boston 
and  Vicinity  to  its  directorate  at  its  next  annual  meeting,  twenty- 


214  APPENDIX 

one  persons  from  the  membership  of  the  churches  constituting 
the  Union  Conference,  of  which  twenty-one,  ex  officiis,  the  said 
Commissioners  shall  be  five,  whose  subsequent  election  as 
aforesaid  shall  constitute  the  said  Congregational  Church  Union 
the  agent  of  the  Union  Conference,  for  the  purposes  and  work 
prescribed  by  the  Constitution  and  By-Laws  of  the  said  Con- 
gregational Church  Union. 

ARTICLE  X.    AMENDMENTS 

This  constitution  may  be  altered  or  amended  at  any  meeting 
of  the  Union  Conference,  by  a  vote  of  two-thirds  of  the  mem- 
bers present  and  voting,  providing  that  at  least  thirty  days' 
notice  in  writing  of  the  proposed  change  shall  have  been  given 
to  each  of  the  churches  composing  the  Union  Conference  before 
the  meeting  at  which  action  may  be  taken  thereon. 


APPENDIX   D 

CUMBERLAND   CONFERENCE,  MAINE 

CONSTITUTION 
Adopted  at  Windham,  June  8,  1904. 

ARTICLE   I.    NAME 

This  Council  shall  be  called  the  UNION  COUNCIL  of  the 
Churches  of  the  Cumberland  Congregational  Conference. 

ARTICLE   II.    OBJECT 

Its  object  shall  be  to  solidify  and  promote  Christian  fellowship 
among  the  churches  and  to  increase  the  effective  power  of 
Congregationalism  in  the  work  of  the  Kingdom. 

ARTICLE  III.    MEMBERSHIP 

The  Council  shall  consist  of  the  pastor  and  one  lay  delegate 
from  each  Congregational  church  in  the  Conference,  the  lay 
delegates  to  be  elected  at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  churches  and 
to  hold  office  for  one  year. 

ARTICLE  IV.    MEETINGS 

The  Council  shall  meet  annually  on  the  first  Wednesday  in 
November  and  at  such  other  times  as  shall  be  necessary,  upon 
the  call  of  the  President  or  Secretary.  Fifteen  shall  form  a 
quorum. 

(2x5) 


2l6  APPENDIX 

ARTICLE  V.    OFFICERS 

The  officers  shall  be  a  President,  a  Secretary-Treasurer  and 
a  Board  of  Control  which  shall  consist  of  five  members,  at  least 
two  and  not  more  than  three  of  whom  shall  be  laymen,  to  be 
elected  annually  by  ballot.  The  Board  of  Control  shall  be  se- 
lected from  a  list  of  ten  names  to  be  submitted  by  a  committee 
which  shall  be  appointed  at  the  annual  meeting  by  the  presiding 
officer. 

ARTICLE  VI.    DUTIES  OF  OFFICERS 

The  duties  of  the  President  shall  be  such  as  usually  belong  to 
that  officer.  The  Secretary-Treasurer  shall  keep  the  records, 
attend  to  correspondence,  receive  and  disburse  all  moneys  under 
the  direction  of  the  Board  of  Control  and  attend  to  the  other 
duties  which  belong  to  his  office. 

BOARD  OF  CONTROL 

The  Board  of  Control  shall  meet  at  least  once  every  two 
months,  to  consider  the  opportunities  and  responsibilities  of  the 
Congregational  Churches  of  Cumberland  Conference,  and  take 
such  initiative  as  is  necessary.    Among  its  duties  shall  be: 

(fl)  To  proffer  counsel  and  arbitration  where  needed,  and 
furnish  information  which  shall  aid  churches  in  their  benevolent 
work. 

(b)  To  be  the  medium  by  which  the  aid  and  counsel  of  the 
stronger  shall  be  given  to  the  weaker  churches. 

(c)  To  take  the  initiative  in  connection  with  the  Maine 
Missionary  Society  in  the  starting  of  new  enterprises. 

(d)  To  provide  information  for  those  desiring  it  concerning 
the  principles  and  methods  of  Congregationalism. 

{e)  To  secure  better  comity  between  the  various  societies 
and  organizations  operating  within  the  limits  of  the  Con- 
ference. 

(/)  To  furnish  a  medium  through  which  the  judgment  of  the 


APPENDIX  217 

churches  may  be  conveyed  to  the  State  Conference,  the  National 
Council  and  the  Missionary  Boards. 

ARTICLE  VII 

The  Council  shall  present  a  report  to  the  annual  meeting  of 
the  Cumberland  Conference  and  the  various  delegates  shall 
present  a  report  to  the  annual  meetings  of  their  own  churches. 

ARTICLE  VIII 

This  constitution  may  be  amended  at  any  annual  meeting  of 
the  council  by  the  vote  of  two-thirds  of  those  present,  notice  of 
of  the  same  having  been  given  in  writing  to  each  member  two 
weeks  before  the  time  of  meeting. 


APPENDIX  E 

MICHIGAN  PLAN  FOR  ORDINATION,  FELLOfTSHIP  AND 
OVERSIGHT 

Action   Taken   by  the    Congregational   Association,  White    Haven, 
Mich.,  May  17,  1905 

PART  I.  ORDINATION  AND  EXAMINATION  ON  THE  ASSOCIA- 
TION'S COURSE  OF  STUDY 

Section  i.  Inasmuch  as  under  our  present  system  ministerial 
standing  vests  in  the  local  Associations,  it  is  recommended  that 
to  the  same  body  be  accorded  the  function  of  passing,  after  due 
examination,  upon  the  credentials  and  fitness  of  candidates  for 
ordination.     It  is  suggested  that  the  procedure  be  as  follows  : 

(i)  A  church  to  take  in  all  cases  the  initiative,  and  present 
the  candidate  for  examination  at  a  meeting  of  the  local  Associa- 
tion with  which  the  church  is  connected  ;  notice  of  such  inten- 
tion having  been  previously  given  to  the  Registrar. 

(2)  The  said  Association  to  examine  the  candidate  thus 
presented  in  regard  to  his  intellectual,  moral  and  spiritual  fitness 
for  the  ministry,  and  if  approved  to  present  a  certificate  of  such 
approval  to  him  and  to  the  church  presenting  him. 

(3)  Upon  the  basis  of  such  certificate  the  church  to  proceed, 
either  then  or  thereafter,  to  the  ordination  of  the  candidate 
through  a  council  of  fellowship ;  the  same  being  either  the  Asso- 
ciation or  a  group  of  churches  selected  by  the  church  and  the 
candidate. 

(Forms  of  letters  missive,  adapted  to  the  circumstances,  will 
be  prepared  by  the  State  Advisory  Committee.) 

(*i8) 


APPENDIX  219 

Section  2.  Inasmuch  as  this  Association  has  provided  a 
Course  of  Study  for  those  applicants  for  ordination  who  have 
not  taken  a  course  in  a  Theological  Seminary,  it  is  recommended 
that,  for  the  sake  of  uniformity,  the  examination  of  candidates 
on  this  Course  of  Study  be  conducted  by  a  Committee  of  the 
State  Association ;  and  that  the  certificate  of  this  Committee  that 
he  has  completed  this  course  satisfactorily  shall  be  required  in  all 
such  cases  by  the  local  Association  before  it  proceeds  to  his 
examination  for  ordination. 

PART  II.    LOCAL  ADVISORY  COMMITTEE 

The  Committee  recommends : 

Section  i.  That  each  local  Association  appoint  a  Committee, 
to  be  called  the  Advisory  Committee,  consisting  of  five  members, 
of  which  the  Moderator  and  the  Registrar  of  the  Association 
shall  be  members  ex  officiis,  and  three  other  members,  to  be 
elected  at  the  annual  meeting  as  follows :  At  the  first  election 
three  members  to  be  elected,  one  for  one  year,  one  for  two 
years,  and  one  for  three  years  ;  and  thereafter  one  to  be  elected 
each  year  to  serve  three  years.  It  is  urged  that  special  care  be 
taken  to  secure  the  most  competent  membership  for  this 
Committee. 

Section  2.  The  functions  of  this  Committee  to  be, — 

(i)  To  know  the  churches  and  ministers  within  the  bounds 
of  the  Association,  their  character,  needs,  and  conditions,  and  to 
keep  a  record  of  the  same  corrected  to  date  and  filed  with  the 
Registrar. 

(2)  To  hold  itself  in  readiness  at  all  times  to  assist,  inform, 
advise,  and  suggest,  upon  request,  in  cases  where  a  change  of 
pastorate,  the  organization  of  a  church,  the  consolidation  of 
fields  or  their  abandonment,  the  occurrence  of  difficulties  or  dis- 
sensions, or  other  exigencies  affecting  the  common  welfare  of 
our  churches,  may  call  for  such  action. 

(3)  To  be  in   active   and   constant  communication  with   a 


220  APPENDIX 

Central  Advisory  Board  appointed  by  the  State  Association ; 
filing  with  it  its  local  information  ;  gathering  from  its  larger  files 
wider  information  ;  reporting  to  it  at  once  any  changes  in  fields 
or  men ;  making  investigations  at  its  request,  and  aiding  in  all 
possible  ways  its  effort  to  know  our  Congregational  life. 

(4)  To  act,  in  conjunction  with  the  pastor  of  the  church 
where  a  meeting  of  the  Association  is  to  be  held,  as  the  Program 
Committee;  with  a  view  to  suggesting,  from  its  knowledge  of 
the  field,  vital  and  practical  topics,  presenting  plans  of  progress 
or  extension,  and  increasing  the  interest,  among  both  clerical  and 
lay  members  of  our  churches,  in  the  meetings  and  work  of  the 
Association. 

(5)  To  be  the  Home  Missionary  Committee  of  the  Asso- 
ciation. 

Section  3.  It  is  farther  recommended  that  the  number  of 
delegates  to  the  local  Association  meetings  from  each  church  be 
two,  to  be  elected  by  the  church  at  its  annual  meeting,  and  their 
names  sent  to  the  Registrar.  The  first  year  two  members  to  be 
elected,  one  for  one  year  and  one  for  two  years,  and  thereafter 
one  each  year  to  serve  two  years. 

PART  III.    CENTRAL   ADVISORY   BOARD   AND 
SUPERINTENDENT 

The  Committee  farther  recommends : 

Section  i.  That  this  Association  elect  an  Advisory  Board  of 
five  members,  of  which  the  Registrar  of  this  Association  shall  be 
a  member  ex  officio,  the  other  four  to  be  elected  as  follows :  The 
first  year  four  members  to  be  elected,  one  for  one  year,  one  for 
two  years,  one  for  three  years,  and  one  for  four  years,  and 
thereafter  one  to  be  elected  each  year  to  serve  four  years. 

It  is  urged  that  special  care  be  taken  to  select  for  this  board 
the  most  competent  men  available  for  the  purposes  of  wide 
administration,  and  that  their  qualifications  for  the  work  and 
the  practicability  of  their  attending  regularly  the  meetings  of  the 


APPENDIX  221 

board  be  considered  the  controlling  conditions  of  their  selec- 
tion. 

Section  2.  That  it  be  the  function  of  this  board  to  act  as  a 
consulting  body  and  a  bureau  of  information  in  regard  to  all  the 
Congregational  interests  in  the  state  ;  to  cooperate  with  and 
supplement  the  work  of  the  Advisory  Committees  in  the  local 
associations  ;  to  gather  and  keep  on  file  all  available  information 
in  regard  to  our  churches  and  ministers  ;  to  be  ready  to  advise 
and  assist,  on  application,  in  the  bringing  together  of  churches 
and  ministers,  and  to  act  as  a  bureau  of  supply  ;  to  advise  in 
matters  submitted  to  them  by  the  local  committees  or  by  the 
churches  or  ministers ;  and  in  general,  to  aim  to  consolidate  and 
strengthen  the  churches,  to  elevate  the  standard  of  the  pastorate, 
and  to  quicken  the  fellowship  and  united  action  of  all. 

Provided,  that  in  no  way  shall  their  action  limit  or  interfere 
with  the  rights  and  liberties  of  the  local  churches. 

Section  3.  It  is  recommended  that  this  board  keep  in  close 
touch  with  our  theological  seminaries,  and  that  it  seek,  by  active 
measures,  to  inspire  and  promote,  in  our  churches,  schools  and 
homes,  the  gathering  of  worthy  and  competent  recruits  for  the 
ministry. 

Section  4.  It  is  farther  recommended  that,  after  this  board 
has  gathered  its  material  and  coordinated  the  local  Advisory 
Committees,  it  appoint,  in  conjunction  with  the  Board  of 
Trustees  of  the  Michigan  Home  Missionary  Society,  and  subject 
to  the  confirmation  of  this  Association  and  the  said  Home  Mis- 
sionary Society,  a  superintendent,  who  shall  be  its  chief  of 
administration,  visit  churches  or  local  associations  when  neces- 
sary, and  sit  with  the  Advisory  Board  at  its  sessions,  but  without 
a  vote  in  it.  We  recommend  that  he  have  large  discretionary 
powers  in  the  administration  of  the  state  work,  always  subject 
to  the  direction  and  review  of  the  Advisory  Board. 

Section  5.  In  accordance  with  this  proposition  we  recom- 
mend that  the  Michigan  Home  Missionary  Society  be  asked  to 
consider,  at  its  present  session,  whether  it  may  not  take  action 


222  APPENDIX 

authorizing  its  Board  of  Trustees  to  act  with  the  Advisory 
Board  of  this  Association,  at  a  future  time,  in  the  appointment 
of  this  superintendent ;  and  ordering  that  their  appointee,  if 
approved  by  both  the  Association  and  the  Home  Missionary 
Society,  shall  be  the  ofiicial  secretary  of  Home  Missions  in  this 
state. 

Section  6.  We  recommend,  in  view  of  the  larger  service  to 
which  this  Superintendent  will  be  called  under  such  an  arrange- 
ment, and  also  of  the  fact  that  the  Home  Missionary  Society 
ought  not  to  be  required  to  pay  for  service  outside  its  own  field, 
that  the  compensation  to  be  allowed  him  be  fixed  by  th®  two 
Boards  in  joint  session,  the  responsibility  for  the  same  to  be 
shared  by  the  Association  and  the  Home  Missionary  Society  in 
such  proportion  as  may  be  agreed  upon  by  the  two  Boards,  and 
be  confirmed  by  the  Association  and  Society. 

Section  7.  It  is  recommended  that  the  Advisory  Board  be 
elected  for  the  first  year  at  the  present  session  of  the  Associa- 
tion ;  and  that  the  local  Associations  be  requested  to  act  upon 
Part  II  of  this  report,  and  if  that  action  be  favorable,  to  choose 
also  their  local  Advisory  Committees  at  their  coming  autumnal 
meetings,  and  to  report  their  action,  with  the  names  of  their 
Committees,  to  the  Central  Advisory  Board. 


APPENDIX   F 

WISCONSIN  PLAN  OF  UNIFICATION 

REPORT    OF    COMMITTEE    ON    UNIFICATION,   OCTOBER    1904 

(Later  Editions  of  the  Report  have  been  Doctored  Beyond 

Recognition) 

To  farther  unify  the  work  of  the  Congregational  churches 
in  Wisconsin  in  the  line  of  the  paper  upon  the  Undeveloped 
Resources  of  Congregationalism,  published  in  the  minutes  of  the 
Menomonie  Convention,  and  presented  to  this  committee  for 
special  consideration,  the  following  measures  are  recommended 
as  immediately  practicable  and  desirable: 

First,  that  the  Convention  be  incorporated  under  the  title, 
"The  Congregational  Church  in  Wisconsin,"  and  that  a  board 
of  five  Trustees  be  chosen  to  hold  the  property  and  administer 
the  income  of  the  Convention. 

Second,  there  shall  be  constituted  a  general  pastoral  com- 
mittee as  follows  :  First,  one  member  elected  annually  by  each 
district  convention.  Second,  the  Trustees  of  the  Congregational 
Church  in  Wisconsin.  Third,  the  Secretary  of  the  Home  Mis- 
sionary Society,  ex-officio.  This  committee  shall  nominate  to  the 
Convention,  annually,  a  pastor  at  large,  and  shall  fix  his  salary 
subject  to  the  approving  vote  of  the  Convention.  The  duties  of 
the  pastor  at  large  shall  be  to  assist  pastorless  churches  in  securing 
ministers,  and  to  visit  and  give  fraternal  counsel  to  both  churches 
and  ministers  as  occasion  arises,  associating  with  himself,  when- 
ever there  is  special  difficulty,  other  members  of  the  pastoral 
committee,  and  in  general  to  promote  the  efficiency  and  cooper- 
ation of  all  the  churches. 

(223) 


224  APPENDIX 

Third,  that  these  Trustees  be  authorized  to  secure  by 
purchase,  lease  or  donation,  suitable  headquarters  for  the  use  of 
the  Secretary  of  the  Home  Missionary,  the  Superintendent  of 
Sunday  School  and  Publishing  Society,  the  Editor  of  "Church 
Life  "  and  the  Secretary  of  the  Committee  on  Pastoral  Relations, 
as  a  center  for  denominational  activities  in  the  state. 

Fourth,  inasmuch  as  ministerial  standing  is  now  lodged  in 
the  district  convention,  that  examination  for  ordination  as  well 
as  licensure  to  preach,  be  under  direction  of  the  convention, 
and  ordinations  by  a  council  of  the  vicinage,  or  in  another 
denomination  shall  be  reviewed  in  the  convention  before  enrol- 
ment in  the  list  of  the  Congregational  Ministry. 


APPENDIX   G 

UNITED    CONGREGATIONAL    CHURCH    OF  NEWCASTLE, 
N.  S.  IF. 

CONSTITUTION 

ARTICLE   I.    NAME 

This  organization  shall  be  called,  The  United  Congregational 
Church  of  Newcastle  and  District. 

ARTICLE  II.    OBJECTS 

1.  Its  aim  shall  be  to  secure  eflfective  cooperation  among  the 
affiliated  churches  in  order  to  strengthen  the  weaker  ones. 

2.  To  provide  a  more  efficient  ministry  for  these  than  is 
possible  to  them  independently. 

3.  To  conserve  the  interests  of  Congregationalism  in  the 
District,  extend  its  operations  into  regions  beyond,  and  voice  its 
conscience  in  matters  social,  moral,  and  national. 

ARTICLE   III.    MEMBERSHIP 

I.  Churches: — {a)  The  United  Congregational  Church  of 
Newcastle  and  District  shall  include  Brown-street,  Stockton, 
Islington,  Wallsend,  Lambton  English,  Lambton  Welsh  and 
Merewether  Welsh  Congregational  Churches. 

{b)  Upon  the  nomination  of  the  General  Council,  other 
Churches  may  be  received  into  the  United  Church  at  any  meeting 
thereof,  by  a  vote  of  not  less  than  two-thirds  of  the  members 

O  (225) 


226  APPENDIX 

present:  application  having  been  lodged  with  the  General  Sec- 
retary, and  duly  submitted  by  him  to  the  General  Council. 

2.  Individuals.  Membership  in  The  United  Congregational 
Church  of  Newcastle  and  District,  shall  be  confined  to  the  duly 
accredited  members  of  the  uniting  Churches,  together  with  their 
duly  elected  pastors. 

ARTICLE   IV.    GOVERNING   BODY 

1.  The  Governing  Body  shall  be  called  the  General  Council. 

2.  The  General  Council  shall  consist  of  the  Pastors  of  the 
uniting  Churches,  together  with  Lay  Delegates  who  shall  be 
elected  according  to  the  ratio  of  one  delegate  for  every  twenty- 
five  members  or  fraction  thereof. 

3.  The  duties  and  province  of  the  General  Council  shall  be 
those  of  an  incorporated  and  legislative  body. 

4.  In  matters  aflfecting  the  common  interests  of  the  United 
Church  or  the  Denomination,  its  legislation  shall  be  binding 
upon  the  Local  Churches. 

5.  In  matters  peculiarly  affecting  the  rights  and  privileges  of 
a  Local  Congregation,  its  legislation  shall  be  binding  only  after 
its  ratification  by  the  Local  Church  affected. 

6.  Five  members  shall  constitute  a  quorum  for  the  transaction 
of  business. 

ARTICLE  V.    OFFICERS 

1.  The  Officers  of  the  United  Church  shall  consist  of  the 
Senior  Pastor,  Associate  and  Assistant  Pastors,  General  Secretary 
and  General  Treasurer. 

2.  The  Minister  at  Brown-street  Church  shall  be  Senior 
Pastor,  and  have  general  oversight  of  the  affairs  of  the  United 
Church. 

3.  The  duties  of  the  General  Secretary  shall  be  to  keep  a 
correct  record  of  all  business  transacted,  receive  and  reply  to  all 
correspondence  as  directed   by  General   Council,  prepare  and 


APPENDIX  227 

submit  to  the  January  meeting  of  the  General  Council  an  annual 
report  which  he  shall  read  at  the  Annual  Festival  and  such  other 
duties  as  usually  appertain  to  his  office. 

4.  The  duties  of  General  Treasurer  shall  be  to  keep  the 
accounts  of  the  United  Church,  receive  all  monies,  and  make  all 
payments  for  the  Church  as  directed  by  the  Council ;  and  prepare 
and  submit  a  duly  audited  Balance  Sheet  to  the  January  meeting 
of  the  General  Council  and  read  same  at  the  Annual  Festival. 

5.  Two  Auditors  shall  be  appointed,  who  shall  examine  the 
books,  vouchers,  etc.,  audit  the  books  quarterly,  and  endorse 
same  if  found  correct. 

ARTICLE  VI.    INTER-RELATIONSHIP 

1.  Centres  and  .Branches :  —  The  various  congregations  of 
the  United  Church  shall  be  denominated  "Centres"  and 
"Branches"  in  accordance  with  the  following  distinctions:  — 
Those  congregations  receiving  annual  grants  of  aid  from  the 
General  Treasury  in  support  of  its  ministry  shall  be  called 
Branches:  —  those  congregations  receiving  no  such  aid  shall  be 
denominated  Centres,  and  shall  contribute  annually  to  the  funds 
of  the  General  Treasury. 

2.  Pastors :  —  All  ordained  Ministers  in  charge  of  Centres 
shall  be  Associate  Pastors  of  the  United  Church.  All  unordained 
men,  and  ordained  men  in  charge  of  Branches,  shall  be  Assistant 
Pastors. 

ARTICLE   VII.    FINANCE 

1.  The  Treasurer  shall  keep  two  separate  Ledger  accounts 
which  shall  be  called  the  Stipend  and  Expense  Accounts  re- 
spectively. 

2.  The  Stipend  Account:  — The  Stipend  Account  shall  be 
sustained 

(a)  By  monies  allocated  from  the  Union  Grant. 

(b)  By  donations  from  the  Centres. 

(c)  By  the  weekly  offerings  of  all  the  Branches,  less  only  such 


228  APPENDIX 

amounts  as  may  be  required  for  the  payment  of  immediate  local 
expenses. 

These  oflFerings  shall  be  paid  to  the  General  Treasurer  at 
least  once  a  month,  together  with  a  written  statement  of  all  regu- 
lar receipts  and  expenditures. 

3.  (a)  The  Salaries  of  Pastors  ministering  to  Centres  shall 
be  paid  directly  by  the  Centres. 

(b)  The  salaries  of  Pastors  ministering  to  Branches  shall  be 
paid  from  the  Stipend  Account. 

(f)  Minimum  Stipends  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
pounds  (^125)  shall  be  guaranteed  to  all  Associate  and  Assis- 
tant Pastors. 

(d)  All  monies  contributed  by  any  Branch  to  the  Stipend 
Account  over  and  above  its  guaranteed  minimum  shall  be  paid 
to  the  pastors  of  such  Branch  at  the  end  of  each  year,  provided 
that  when  the  Stipend  of  the  Minister  of  any  Branch  reaches  one 
hundred  and  sixty  pounds  {£  160)  per  annum,  aid  from  the 
General  Treasury  may  be  partially  or  wholly  withdrawn. 

4.  The  Expense  Account :  —  The  Expense  Account  shall  be 
sustained 

(a)  By  Voluntary  contributions  from  Individuals  and 
Churches. 

(b)  By  Proceeds  from  Annual  Festival. 

(c)  By  any  unappropriated  portion  of  the  Union  Grant,  and 
such  other  monies  as  may  from  time  to  time  be  given  for  this 
purpose. 

From  the  Expense  Account  shall  be  paid 

(</)  The  Traveling  Expenses  of  the  Pastors  when  preaching 
in  Branches  or  Stations  of  the  United  Church  other  than  their 
own,  and  traveling  expenses  of  the  Lay  Preachers;  such  payments 
to  be  made  quarterly. 

{e)  Stationery,  Advertising.  Printing  and  other  incidental 
accounts. 


APPENDIX  229 

ARTICLE  VIII.    MEETINGS 

1 .  A  Festival  which  shall  take  the  form  of  a  Social  Reunion 
shall  be  held  in  the  month  of  February  of  each  year. 

2.  A  special  meeting  of  the  Church  may,  however,  be  called 
by  the  Senior  Pastor  on  his  own  initiative  or  in  response  to  the 
written  request  of  at  least  twelve  [12]  members  who  shall  fairly 
represent  at  least  three  Centres  or  Branches. 

3.  The  regular  meeting  of  the  General  Council  shall  be  held 
on  the  first  Monday  evening  of  every  alternate  month  beginning 
with  January ;  but  a  special  meeting  may  be  convened  at  any 
time  by  the  General  Secretary. 

ARTICLE   IX.    ELECTIONS 

1.  The  election  of  Officers  other  than  Pastors,  shall  take 
place  at  the  Annual  Festival.  Nominations  shall  be  placed  in 
writing  in  the  hands  of  the  Secretary,  and  the  election  shall  be 
by  ballot.  Nominees  must  be  chosen  from  the  membership  of 
the  Church. 

2.  Any  vacancies  occurring  during  the  year  may  be  filled  by 
the  General  Council. 

ARTICLE  X.    AMENDMENTS 

No  alterations  shall  be  made  in  this  Constitution  without 
three  months'  written  notice,  and  then  only  by  a  two-thirds 
majority  of  those  present  at  a  General  Meeting  of  the  United 
Church. 


APPENDIX  H 

WESTCHESTER  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH 

BY-LAWS 
ARTICLE   I.      NAME 

This  Church  shall  be  called  the  Westchester  Congregational 
Church. 

ARTICLE   II.      COVENANT 

The  covenant  by  which  this  Church  exists  as  a  distinct  body, 
and  which  every  member  accepts,  is  as  follows : 

Acknowledging  Jesus  Christ  to  be  our  Saviour  and  Lord,  and 
accepting  the  Holy  Scriptures  as  our  rule  of  faith  and  practice, 
and  recognizing  the  privilege  and  duty  of  uniting  ourselves  for 
Christian  fellowship,  the  enjoyment  of  Christian  ordinances,  the 
public  worship  of  God,  and  the  advancement  of  His  kingdom  in 
the  world,  we  do  now,  in  the  sight  of  God  and  invoking  his 
blessing,  solemnly  covenant  and  agree  with  each  other  to  asso- 
ciate ourselves  to  be  a  Church  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as 
warranted  by  the  Word  of  God. 

We  agree  to  maintain  the  institutions  of  the  gospel,  to  submit 
ourselves  to  the  orderly  administration  of  the  affairs  of  the 
Church,  and  to  walk  together  in  brotherly  love. 

And  this  we  do  depending  upon  the  aid  of  our  heavenly 
Father,  who  so  loved  the  world  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten 
Son  for  our  salvation,  and  of  Jesus  Christ  who  hath  redeemed 
us  with  His  blood,  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  our  Comforter  and 
Guide. 

(230;    . 


APPENDIX  231 


ARTICLE  III.      CHARACTER 

Section  i.  Polity.  Its  government  is  vested  in  the  body  of 
believers  who  compose  it.  It  is  subject  to  the  control  of  no 
other  ecclesiastical  body,  but  it  recognizes  and  sustains  the  obli- 
gations of  mutual  counsel  and  cooperation  which  are  common 
among  Congregational  Churches,  and  it  is  in  fellowship  with  all 
Churches  which  acknowledge  Jesus  the  Christ  to  be  their  divine 
Redeemer  and  Lord. 

Section  2.  Doctrine.  It  receives  the  Scriptures  as  its 
authority  in  matters  of  faith  and  practice.  Its  understanding  of 
Christian  truth  as  contained  therein  is  in  accord  with  the  belief 
of  the  Congregational  Churches  of  the  United  States,  and  sub- 
stantially as  set  forth  by  unanimous  vote  of  the  National  Council 
of  1865,  or  by  the  National  Council's  Commission  in  1883,  as 
set  forth  in  the  Congregational  Manual. 

ARTICLE   IV.      MEMBERSHIP 

Section  i.  Qualifications.  Its  membership  consists  of  such 
persons  as  confess  Jesus  Christ  to  be  their  Saviour  and  Lord, 
and  who  (i)  after  due  examination,  either  by  the  Church  Com- 
mittee or  by  the  Church  itself,  as  to  their  Christian  experience, 
and,  if  coming  from  other  Churches,  as  to  their  letters  of  dismis- 
sion and  recommendation  or  satisfactory  substitutes  therefor,  and 
(2)  after  proposal  from  the  pulpit  on  some  Lord's  Day  prior  to 
that  of  their  reception,  (3)  have  been  accepted  by  vote  of  the 
Church  and,  having  been  baptized,  (4)  enter  into  its  Covenant 
and  subscribe  to  its  By-Laws,  and  are  formally  received  into  its 
fellowship. 

Section  2.  Reception.  The  reception  of  members  shall  ordi- 
narily be  upon  some  Lord's  Day  when  the  Lord's  Supper  is 
administered,  and  shall  be  in  the  form  appended  to  these 
By-Laws. 

Section  3.  Duties.     Members  are  expected,  first  of  all,  to  be 


232  APPENDIX 

faithful  in  all  the  spiritual  duties  essential  to  the  Christian  life ; 
and  also  to  attend  habitually  the  services  of  this  Church,  to  give 
regularly  for  its  support  and  its  charities,  and  to  share  in  its 
organized  work. 

Section  4.  Rights.  Such  members  as  are  in  full  and  regular 
standing,  and  do  not  hold  letters  of  dismission  and  recommenda- 
tion, and  have  attained  the  age  of  tvv^enty-one  years,  and  such 
only,  may  act  and  vote  in  the  transactions  of  the  Church. 

Section  5.  Termination.  The  continuance  of  membership 
shall  be  subject  to  the  principles  and  usages  of  the  Congrega- 
tional Churches,  and  especially  as  follovs^s  : 

(i)  Any  member  in  good  and  regular  standing  who  desires  a 
letter  of  dismission  and  recommendation  to  any  other  evangelical 
Church  is  entitled  to  receive  it  upon  his  written  request.  In 
case  of  removal  to  another  community  he  should  promptly  make 
such  request.  This  letter  shall  be  valid  as  a  recommenda- 
tion for  only  one  year  from  its  date,  unless  renewed,  and  this 
restriction  shall  be  stated  in  the  letter. 

(2)  If  a  member  desires  to  join  a  religious  body  with  which 
this  Church  is  not  in  fellowship,  or  which  would  not  receive  its 
letter,  the  Church  may,  at  his  request,  give  him  a  certificate  of 
his  good  standing  and  terminate  his  membership. 

(3)  If  a  member  in  good  standing  request  to  be  released 
from  his  covenant  obligations  to  this  Church  for  reasons  which 
the  Church  may  finally  deem  satisfactory,  after  it  shall  have 
patiently  and  kindly  endeavored  to  secure  his  continuance  in  its 
fellowship,  such  request  may  be  granted  and  his  membership 
terminated. 

(4)  The  Church  may  also,  after  due  notice  and  hearing  and 
kindly  effort  to  make  such  action  unnecessary,  terminate  the 
membership  of  persons  for  the  space  of  two  years  non-resident, 
or  for  the  same  space  of  time  not  habitually  worshipping  with 
the  Church,  or  for  the  same  space  of  time  not  contributing  to  its 
support  according  to  the  system  prescribed  by  the  Church  or  in 
some  way  satisfactory  thereto. 


APPENDIX  233 

(5)  Should  a  member  become  an  oflfense  to  the  Church  and 
to  its  good  name  by  reason  of  immoral  or  unchristian  conduct, 
or  by  persistent  breach  of  his  covenant  vows,  the  Church  may 
terminate  his  membership,  but  only  after  due  notice  and  hearing, 
and  after  faithful  efforts  have  been  made  to  bring  such  member 
to  repentance  and  amendment. 

(6)  The  membership  of  no  person  shall  be  terminated 
(except  by  letter)  at  the  meeting  when  the  recommendation  for 
such  action  is  made. 

Section  6.  Restoration.  Any  person  whose  membership  has 
been  terminated  may  be  restored  by  vote  of  the  Church,  if  for 
any  offence,  upon  evidence  of  his  repentance  and  reformation, 
or,  if  on  account  of  continued  absence,  upon  satisfactory 
explanation. 

ARTICLE  V.      RELATION  OF    CHURCH  AND    GROUPS 

Section  i.  Powers  of  the  Church.  Among  the  powers 
given  to  the  Church  by  this  Constitution  are  the  following : 
To  acquire  and  maintain  property  to  be  held  in  trust  by  the 
Trustees ;  to  establish  new  places  of  worship  at  such  times  and 
in  such  localities  as  it  may  elect ;  to  call  a  Pastor,  Associate 
Pastor  or  Pastors  and  Missionary  Pastor  or  Pastors ;  to  hold  an 
annual  meeting  when  all  the  Church  and  group  reports  shall  be 
presented,  budgets  accepted,  all  group  elections  ratified,  and 
Trustees,  General  Treasurer  and  Clerk  elected  ;  to  raise  and 
disburse  the  general  funds ;  to  constitute  the  final  Court  of 
Appeal  in  all  matters  connected  with  the  Church  and  its  groups. 

Section  2.    Division  into  Groups  : 

(i)  For  convenience  of  public  worship  this  Church  may 
hold  services  and  acquire    property  in  more  than  one  locality. 

(2)  Each  group  may  select  a  local  name  designating  its 
group,  which  shall  be  used  when  ratified  by  the  Church. 

(3)  The  property  used  by  each  separate  group  of  members, 
wherever  located,  shall  belong  to  the  Church,  and  shall  be  held 
in  trust  by  the  Trustees. 


234  APPENDIX 

Section  3.  Powers  of  Groups.  Each  separate  group  shall 
have  the  following  powers  :  To  hold  its  separate  communion 
service  ;  to  propound  and  elect  members  to  the  Church  ;  to  vote 
letters  of  dismissal  for  and  on  request  of  its  group  members, 
such  letters  to  be  issued  by  the  Clerk  in  the  name  of  the  Church; 
to  consider  and  manage  its  local  affairs  in  accordance  with  the 
provisions  of  this  Constitution  through  its  local  Committee  or 
through  meetings  of  its  members  ;  to  nominate  to  the  Church 
the  Pastor  or  Associate  Pastor  who  is  to  minister  particularly  to 
that  group  ;  to  elect  its  local  Treasurer  and  quota  of  Deacons, 
which  election  shall  be  ratified  by  the  Church  before  it  becomes 
effective  ;  to  raise  money  for  the  support  of  its  group,  and  to 
direct  the  disbursement  thereof  according  to  budget. 

Section  4.    Finances  : 

(i)  The  income  or  moneys  raised  by  or  on  behalf  of  each 
group  shall  be  applied  first  to  the  ordinary  current  expenses  of 
such  group. 

(2)  The  Church  Committee  shall  provide  out  of  the  Church 
Extension  Fund  any  deficit  that  may  arise  in  the  administration 
by  any  group  of  its  local  finances,  provided  it  is  incurred  in 
accordance  with  regular  budget  approved  by  the  Church. 

Section  5.  Notices.  All  calls  for  business  meetings  and 
similar  notices  affecting  the  whole  Church,  shall  be  duly  read 
before  each  group. 

ARTICLE  VI.      OFFICERS 

Section  i .  A  Pastor,  to  be  chosen  and  called  by  the  Church 
whenever  a  vacancy  occurs,  and  to  be  installed  by  Council 
when  the  Church  and  Pastor  shall  so  agree.  He  shall  have  in 
charge  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  congregation  ;  he  shall  preach 
the  Word  and  have  in  his  care  the  stated  services  of  public 
worship,  and  shall  administer  the  sacraments.  He  shall  preside 
at  all  meetings  of  the  Church,  except  as  limited  in  Article  X., 
Section  2  (4),  relating  to  business  meetings.  He  shall  be  an 
ex-officio  member  of  all  committees. 


APPENDIX  235 

Section  2.  An  Associate  Pastor  or  Pastors,  to  be  chosen  and 

called  by  the  Church.  The  pastoral  work  shall  be  divided 
between  Pastor  and  Associate  Pastors,  as  the  Church  Com- 
mittee shall  determine. 

Section  3.  Missionary  Pastor  or  Pastors.  The  Church  may 
choose  and  call  Missionary  Pastors.  They  shall  be  at  work  in 
foreign  or  home  missionary  fields,  under  the  direction  of  the 
proper  board. 

Section  4.  A  Clerk,  to  be  chosen  at  each  annual  meeting,  to 
serve  for  one  year  and  until  his  successor  shall  be  chosen  and 
qualified.  He  shall  keep  a  complete  record  of  the  transactions 
at  all  business  meetings  of  the  Church,  which  shall  be  read  for 
approval  at  the  next  following  special  business  meeting,  and  also 
of  the  Church  Committee  and  of  the  Board  of  Trustees.  He 
shall  secure  the  signatures  of  members  to  the  By-Laws,  and 
keep  a  register  of  their  names,  with  dates  of  admission  and  dis- 
mission or  death,  together  with  a  record  of  baptisms.  He  shall 
notify  all  officers,  members  of  committees  and  delegates  of  their 
election  or  appointment.  He  shall  issue  letters  of  dismission 
and  recommendation  voted  by  the  Church,  preserve  on  file  all 
communications  and  written  official  reports,  and  give  legal 
notice  of  all  meetings  where  such  notice  is  necessary,  as  indicated 
in  this  Constitution. 

Sections.     Treasurers: 

(i)  A  General  Treasurer,  to  be  chosen  at  each  annual 
meeting  to  serve  for  one  year  and  until  another  shall  be  chosen 
in  his  stead.  He  shall  keep  account  of  the  general  funds  of  the 
Church. 

(2)  A  Local  Treasurer  for  each  group,  to  be  chosen  to  serve 
for  one  year  and  until  another  shall  be  chosen  in  his  stead.  He 
shall  keep  an  account  of  all  moneys  received  and  disbursed  by 
or  on  account  of  such  group. 

(3)  All  the  Treasurers'  accounts  shall  be  kept  distinct  from 
all  other  accounts  and  all  deposits  made,  and  all  checks  drawn 
by  them  shall  be  in  the  name  of  the  Church  or  local  group,  and 


236  APPENDIX 

only  in  accordance  with  the  budget.  They  shall  make  an 
annual  report  in  detail  of  their  receipts  and  expenditures, 
properly  audited. 

Section  6.  Deacons,  in  the  proportion  of  one  to  every  fifty 
members  or  fraction  thereof  from  each  group.  They  shall  be 
elected  as  provided  in  Art.  V.,  Sec.  3;  shall  serve  for  three 
years,  and,  as  nearly  as  possible,  one-third  of  the  total  number 
shall  be  chosen  each  year. 

Section  7.  Three  Trustees,  at  least  one  of  whom  shall  come 
from  each  group.  One-third  of  them  shall  be  elected  from 
among  the  members  of  the  Church  at  each  annual  meeting  of 
the  Church  to  serve  for  three  years  and  until  their  successors 
shall  be  appointed,  to  hold  in  trust  the  property  of  the  Church. 
This  Church  regards  its  Trustees  as  among  its  spiritual  officers. 

ARTICLE   VII.     THE   CHURCH   COMMITTEE 

Section  i .  The  Church  Committee  shall  consist  of  the  Pastor, 
Associate  Pastor  or  Pastors,  Clerk,  General  Treasurer,  Local 
Treasurers,  Deacons  and  Trustees. 

Section  2.  While  the  final  seat  of  authority  in  all  matters 
rests  in  the  membership,  this  Church  adopts  the  policy  of  dele- 
gating, as  far  as  possible,  all  details  of  administration  to  the 
Church  Committee. 

Section  3.  The  Church  Committee  shall  have  the  actual 
care  of  the  places  of  worship,  but  shall  have  no  power  to  buy, 
sell,  mortgage,  lease  or  transfer  any  property  without  a  specific 
vote  of  the  Church  authorizing  such  action. 

Section  4.    Duties  of  the  Church  Committee  : 

(i)  It  shall  submit  to  the  Church,  at  the  annual  meeting,  a 
detailed  report  in  writing  of  all  its  transactions  during  the  year 
and  propose  budgets  for  all  groups  and  for  the  Church  for  the 
ensuing  year. 

(2)  It  shall  provide  for  the  raising  of  the  general  funds  of  the 
Church,  including  the  following : 


APPENDIX  237 

(a)  Pastors'  Salary  Fund,  to  which  each  group  shall  pay  an 
appropriation  as  determined  by  the  Church,  and  from  which  shall 
be  paid  the  salaries  of  Pastor  and  Associate  Pastor  or  Pastors. 

(b)  Missionary  Pastors'  Fund,  for  the  support  of  the  Mis- 
sionary Pastors. 

(c)  Church  Extension  Fund,  to  be  used  to  meet  any  deficit 
that  may  arise  in  the  administration  by  any  group  of  its  local 
finances,  and  for  the  extension  work  of  the  Church. 

(d)  Deacon's  Fund,  consisting  of  the  offerings  at  the  Lord's 
Supper,  which  shall  be  devoted  to  the  relief  of  the  poor  and  to 
the  expenses  of  the  Communion  Service. 

{e)  General  Benevolence  Fund,  consisting  of  all  moneys 
raised  for  objects  of  Christian  benevolence  as  may  be  determined 
by  the   Church. 

(3)  The  Church  Committee  shall  hold  regular  meetings 
quarterly  and  such  special  meetings  as  shall  be  necessary.  At 
these  regular  quarterly  meetings,  as  representatives  of  the  Church, 
this  Committee  shall  receive  reports  from: 

(a)  The  Pastor  and  Associate  Pastors,  concerning  the  mat- 
ters under  their  care. 

(b)  The  Clerk,  especially  concerning  the  roll  of  membership, 
including  list  of  admissions,  dismissals  and  deaths. 

(c)  The  General  Treasurer,  concerning  all  funds  under  his 
care. 

(</)  Such  other  organizations,  officers  and  committees  en- 
gaged in  the  work  of  the  Church  as  they  may  deem  desirable. 

(4)  It  shall  act  as  a  Nominating  Committee,  submitting  a 
list  of  candidates  for  Trustees,  General  Treasurer,  Clerk  and 
any  other  officers  and  committees  to  be  elected  at  the  annual 
meeting  of  the  Church. 

(5)  Appoint  an  Auditing  Committee,  to  audit  the  accounts 
of  the  General  Treasurer  and  of  the  Local  Treasurers  before 
the  report  to  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Church. 

(6)  Appoint  such  other  committees  as  may  seem  wise  for  the 
proper  carrying  out  of  the  work  under  their  care 


238  APPENDIX 

ARTICLE   VIII.      THE    LOCAL  COMMITTEE 

Section  i.  A  Local  Committee  of  each  group  shall  consist 
of  the  Deacons,  Trustees  and  Local  Treasurer  elected  from  the 
members  of  that  group,  the  General  Treasurer  and  Clerk,  if 
elected  from  the  members  of  that  group,  together  with  Pastor 
and  Associate  Pastors. 

Section  2.  They  shall  be  the  executive  directors  to  carry  out 
the  provisions  of  Art.  V.,  Sec.  3.  For  the  effective  carrying 
out  of  these  provisions  the  committee  shall : 

(i)  Hold  regular  meetings  monthly,  and  such  special  meet- 
ings as  shall  be  necessary.  At  these  monthly  meetings  the  local 
Committee  shall  receive  reports  from — 

{a)  The  Pastor  and  Associate  Pastors,  concerning  the  local 
matters  under  their  care. 

(b)  The  Local  Treasurer,  concerning  all  funds  under  his  care. 

(c)  Such  other  organizations,  officers  and  committees  en- 
gaged in  the  work  of  the  group,  as  they  may  deem  desirable. 

(2)  Assist  in  the  administration  of  the  Lord's  Supper. 

(3)  Act  as  a  Nominating  Committee,  submitting  a  list  of 
candidates  for  Deacons  and  Local  Treasurer  and  all  other 
officers  and  committees  to  be  elected  by  the  group. 

(4)  Prepare  and  submit  an  annual  budget  to  the  Church 
Committee.  The  Church  Committee,  having  approved  or 
revised  such  budget,  shall  submit  it  to  the  annual  meeting  of  the 
Church.  When  adopted  by  the  Church  such  budget  can  be 
amended  only  by  the  Church. 

(5)  Elect  one  of  its  own  members  to  act  as  Recording 
Secretary. 

(6)  Appoint  such  other  committees  as  may  seem  wise  for 
the  proper  carrying  out  of  the  work  under  their  care. 

ARTICLE   IX.      ORGANIZATIONS 

The  Church  regards  as  integral  parts  of  itself  all  organiza- 
tions formed  for  the  purposes  of  ministration  and  which  use  the 


APPENDIX  239 

facilities  of  the  Church  property.  Of  all  such  organizations  the 
Pastor  shall  have  general  oversight,  and  the  Church  will  expect 
a  report  from  each  at  its  annual  meeting. 

ARTICLE  X.      MEETINGS 

Section  i.  For  Worship,  (i)  Public  services  shall  be  held 
statedly  on  the  Lord's  Day  and  on  some  regular  evening  of  each 
week. 

(2)  The  Lord's  Supper  shall  be  celebrated  at  such  regular 
dates  as  the  Church  may,  from  time  to  time,  determine  ;  and 
unless  otherwise  ordered,  upon  the  first  Lord's  Day  of  each 
alternate  month  beginning  with  January.  The  mid-week  meet- 
ing next  preceding  shall  be  devoted  to  a  Preparatory  Service. 

(3)  Occasional  religious  meetings  may  be  appointed  by  the 
Pastor  at  his  discretion,  or  by  vote  of  the  Church. 

Section  2.  For  Business,  (i)  At  any  of  the  regular  meet- 
ings for  worship  the  Church  may,  without  special  notice,  act 
upon  the  reception  of  members  previously  propounded  or  upon 
the  dismissal  of  members  to  other  churches,  and  upon  the 
appointment  of  delegates  to  councils  and  conferences  of 
Churches,  but  not  upon  other  business. 

(2)  The  Pastor  may,  and  shall,  when  requested  by  the 
Church  Committee,  call  from  the  pulpit  special  business  meet- 
ings, the  particular  object  of  the  meeting  being  clearly  stated 
in  the  notice. 

Special  meetings  of  the  Church  shall  also  be  called  by  the 
Clerk  upon  the  written  application  of  any  five  adult  members 
specifying  the  object  thereof,  which  notice  shall  be  read  at  the 
public  service  on  the  Lord's  Day  next  preceding  the  day  fixed 
for  such  meeting.  No  special  meeting  shall  be  held  on  the  same 
day  on  which  the  notice  is  given. 

(3)  The  annual  meeting  of  the  Church  shall  be  held  on  the 
third  Wednesday  of  January,  at  which  time  the  annual  reports 
shall  be  presented  and  ofiicers  elected,  and  such  other  business 


240  APPENDIX 

transacted  as  may  be  specified  in  the  call  or  authorized  in  the 
By-Laws.  This  meeting  shall  be  called  by  the  Clerk  in  the 
manner  specified  in  the  paragraph  next  preceding. 

(4)  At  all  meetings  for  business  called  by  the  Clerk, 
a  chairman  shall  be  chosen  by  vote  of  the  Church  ;  but  at  all 
other  meetings  the  Pastor  shall  preside,  except  that  in  his 
absence,  or  when  the  business  relates  to  himself,  the  Church 
shall  elect  a  chairman. 

(5)  At  the  annual  and  all  special  meetings  ten  members 
shall  be  necessary  to  constitute  a  quorum  for  the  transaction  of 
business. 

ARTICLE    XI.      DISCIPLINE 

Section  i.  Should  any  unhappy  diflferences  arise  between 
members,  the  aggrieved  member  shall  follow,  in  a  tender  spirit, 
the  rules  given  by  our  Lord  in  the  eighteenth  chapter  of  the 
Gospel  according  to  Matthew. 

Section  2.  Should  any  case  of  gross  breach  of  covenant,  or 
of  public  scandal,  occur,  the  Church  Committee  shall  endeavor 
to  remove  the  offence,  and  if  such  effort  fail  shall  report  the  case 
to  the  Church. 

Section  3.  If  the  Church  vote  to  entertain  a  complaint, 
which  must  be  made  in  writing,  it  shall  appoint  a  reasonable 
time  and  place  of  hearing  and  notify  the  person  in  question 
thereof,  furnishing  him  with  a  copy  of  the  charges. 

Section  4.  At  such  hearing,  the  accused  member  may  call  to 
his  aid  any  member  of  the  Church  as  counsel.  If  he  shall  not 
present  himself  at  the  time  appointed,  or  give  satisfactory 
reasons  for  his  neglect  so  to  do,  the  Church  may  proceed  in  his 
absence. 

Section  5.  All  such  proceedings  should  be  pervaded  by  a 
spirit  of  Christian  kindness  and  forbearance,  but  should  an 
adverse  decision  be  reached,  the  Church  may  proceed  to  ad- 
monish or  to  declare  the  offender  to  be  no  longer  in  the  member- 
ship of  the  Church. 


APPENDIX  241 

Section  6.  In  case  of  grave  difficulty  the  Church  will  be 
ready,  if  requested,  to  ask  advice  of  a  mutual  council. 

ARTICLE   XII.      AMENDMENTS 

These  By-Laws  may  be  amended  by  a  three-fourths  vote  of 
the  members  present  and  voting  at  any  annual  meeting  of  the 
Church,  or  at  a  meeting  specially  called  for  that  purpose,  the 
proposed  amendment  being  inserted  in  the  call ;  but  no  change 
shall  be  made  in  Articles  II.  and  III.,  entitled  "Covenant" 
and  "  Character,"  except  at  an  annual  meeting,  and  by  a  three- 
fourths  vote  of  all  the  members  of  the  Church  entitled  to  vote, 
said  proposed  change  having  been  laid  before  the  Church  in 
writing  at  a  business  meeting  not  less  than  one  month  before  the 
time  of  the  proposed  action,  and  read  from  the  pulpit  on  the 
Lord's  Day  next  succeeding  such  proposal. 


APPENDIX  I 

BRANCH  CHURCH,  MANKATO,  MINN. 

AGREEMENT   CONSTITUTING    ST.    CLAIR    BRANCH    OF 
MANKATO  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH 

The  following  persons,  residing  at  or  near  St.  Clair,  Minn., 
[names  given]  having  been  received  into  the  membership  of  the 
First  Congregational  Church  of  Mankato,  are,  with  their  own 
consent,  hereby  constituted  into  the  St.  Clair  Branch  of  said 
Church,  under  the  following  agreement : 

1 .  The  object  of  this  agreement  is  to  provide  the  privileges  of 
church  membership  for  the  persons  specified  and  others  to  be 
hereafter  received  from  the  neighborhood,  until  such  time  as 
they  feel  able  to  provide  these  for  themselves,  which  is  the 
final  aim. 

2.  The  members  of  the  Branch  shall  have  power  to  manage 
their  own  internal  affairs  as  a  body  of  Christians  subject  to 
Christ  their  Head.  They  shall  arrange  their  own  services, 
handle  their  own  funds,  and  elect  their  own  officers,  such  as 
deacon,  clerk  and  treasurer.  In  the  reception  and  dismission 
of  members,  the  Branch  shall  act  as  a  committee  of  the  whole 
church,  which  shall  vote  upon  its  recommendation. 

3.  The  Mankato  Church  shall  cooperate,  by  every  means  in 
its  power,  in  maintaining  at  St.  Clair  regular  preaching  services 
and  the  administration  of  the  sacraments.  Power  to  elect 
pastors  and  other  assistants  is  reserved  to  the  whole  church  ;  also 
final  power  to  receive  and  dismiss  members. 

4.  All  members  of  the  Branch  are  members  of  the  Mankato 
church  and   subject   to  its  oversight,  but   in   meetings  of   the 

(242) 


APPENDIX  243 

Church  they  may  vote  only  on  matters  in  which  the  interests  of 
the  Branch  are  involved.  Like  other  members,  they  may  be  sub- 
ject to  a  pro  rata  assessment  to  meet  the  Conference  apportion- 
ment, but  further  covenant  obligations  shall  be  discharged  in 
their  relations  in  the  Branch. 

5.  Whenever  the  members  of  the  Branch  shall,  by  formal 
vote,  at  a  meeting  called  and  posted  one  week  previously,  decide 
to  become  an  independent  church  with  full  powers,  the  Mankato 
church  agrees  to  grant  letters  to  the  members  of  the  Branch  and 
this  agreement  will  expire  by  its  own  limitation. 

Passed  by  church  provisionally,  August  4,  1904. 

Promulgated  October  23,  1904. 


APPENDIX  J 

FORM  FOR  THE  RECEPTION  OF  MEMBERS 
As  Recommended  in  the  Manual  of  the  National  Council,  1895 

Thus  confessing  with  us  and  with  the  Church  universal  your 
Christian  faith,  in  the  presence  of  God  and  of  his  people,  you 
publicly  enter  into  his  covenant  of  grace. 

Having  truly  repented  of  your  sins  and  heartily  forsaken 
them,  you  devote  yourselves  to  the  love,  obedience,  and  service 
of  Jesus  Christ;  you  take  his  Word  as  the  law 
of  your  life  and  the  Holy  Spirit  as  your  Com- 
forter and  Guide ;  and  trusting  in  his  grace  to  confirm  and 
strengthen  you,  you  promise  to  follow  him  in  all  things,  to  walk 
with  his  disciples  in  love,  and  to  live  for  his  glory.  Do  you  so 
promise  ? 

ResponsCy  I  do. 
Those  luho  have  been  previously  baptized  are  addressed  as  follonvs: 

Do  you  who  are  children  of  the  covenant  now  accept  for 
yourselves  the  seal  of  baptism  into  the  name  of 
the  Father,  and  of   the  Son,  and  of  the   Holy 
Spirit,  to  which  faith  and  love  brought  you  in  childhood  ? 

Response,  I  do. 

The  God  of  all  grace,  who  hath  called  you  unto  his  eternal 
glory  by  Jesus  Christ,  confirm  you  unto  the  end,  that  ye  may  be 
blameless  in  the  day  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     Amen. 

Those  fwho  have  not  been  previously  baptized  are  thus  addressed: — 

Acknowledging  the  divine  authority  of  Christian  baptism, 

you  now  receive  it  as  a  sign  of  the  washing  of  regeneration, 

(244) 


APPENDIX  245 

which  you  trust  has  been  wrought  in  you  by  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  as  a  seal  of  God's  covenanted  grace. 
Baptism  should  here  be  administered  as  follonvs: — 

I  baptize  thee  into^  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son, 
and  of  the  Holy  Spirit.     Amen. 

The  Minister  shall  then  say:  — 

And  now  to  you  who  are  faithful  to  these  solemn  promises 
and  engagements  towards  God,  he  is  pleased  to  declare  by  his 

Word  his  promises  and  engagements  towards 
Divine  Promise  ^  .u     r  j   r  n   r      • 

you,  assurmg  to  you  the  free  and  full  forgive- 
ness of  your  sins  ;  and  pledging  all  sufficient  aid,  upon  which 
you  may  joyfully  rely,  in  the  great  work  which  you  have 
undertaken.  He  promises  that  he  will  be  your  God,  your 
Father,  your  Redeemer,  your  Sanctifier,  Teacher,  and  Guide. 
He  covenants  with  you  that  in  the  day  of  trial  and  temptation  he 
will  cheer  and  strengthen  you  ;  that  he  will  cause  all  things  to 
work  together  for  your  good;  that  nothing  shall  separate  you 
from  his  love  ;  and  that  at  death  your  ascended  Lord  will 
receive  you  to  himself,  that  where  he  is  there  you  may  be  also. 

Those  to  be  received  by  letter  or  certificate  from  other  churches 
nonu  either  come  fornvard  or  rise  as  their  names  are  called.  The 
Minister  shall  greet  these,  saying: — 

Kindred  in  Christ,  who  come  acknowledging  the  vows  you 
made  when  first  you  declared  your  faith  in  Christ,  we  bid  you 
welcome.  We  greet  you  as  fellow-laborers  in  his  service,  and 
fellow-travellers  to  his  promised  rest. 

Addressing  all  those  entering  into  the  membership  of  this  Churchy 
the  Minister  shall  say: — 

Beloved  in  the  Lord,  baptized  into  the  name  of  the  Father 
and  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  you  have 

thJchurch^         ^^'^^^^^^'^    ^^^   ^^^^^  °^    Christ  before  witnesses 
and  have  given  yourselves  to  God  in  His  everlast- 

^  This  is  the  translation  of  the  Revised  Version,  and  is  accurate 
and  proper. 


246  APPENDIX 

ing  covenant  of  grace.  And  now  accepting,  according  to  the 
measure  of  your  understanding  of  it,  the  system  of  Christian 
truth  held  by  the  churches  of  our  faith  and  order,  and  by  this 
church  into  whose  fellowship  you  now  enter,  you  cordially  unite 
yourselves  with  this  church  of  Christ,  adopting  as  your  own  the 
covenant  by  which  it  exists  ;  you  promise  to  pray  and  labor  for 
its  edification  and  fruitfulness  ;  to  help  in  sustaining  its  worship, 
its  activities,  and  its  charities ;  and  to  live  with  us  in  Christian 
fellowship.     Do  you  so  promise  ? 

Response,  I  do. 
The  members  of  the  Church  here  rise,  and  the  Minister  shall  say: — 

We,  then,  the  members  of  this  Church,  do  aflfectionately 
welcome  you  into  this  household  of  faith.  We  pledge  to  you 
our  sympathy,  our  help,  and  our  prayers  that 
the  Church  ^^^  "^^^  evermore  increase  in  the  knowledge  and 
love  of  God.  We  trust  that  by  His  grace  we 
may  all  walk  worthy  of  the  calling  wherewith  we  were  called, 
with  all  lowliness  and  meekness,  with  long-suflFering,  forbearing 
one  another  in  love ;  giving  diligence  to  keep  the  unity  of  the 
Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace.  God  grant  that,  loving  and  being 
loved,  serving  and  being  served,  blessing  and  being  blessed,  we 
may  be  prepared  while  we  dwell  together  on  earth  for  the  perfect 
fellowship  of  the  saints  above. 


APPENDIX   K 

CONGREGATIONAL  UNION  OF  ENGLAND  AND  WALES 

CONSTITUTION 

(Adopted  September,  1904) 

PREAMBLE 

1.  Certain  powers  and  du%s  belong  to  the  individual  Church 
in  self-government  under  the  Headship  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
due  regard  being  had  to  the  interests  of  other  Churches  of  our 
own  and  other  denominations.  For  example :  The  reception 
and  dismissal  of  members ;  the  discipline  necessary  to  preserve 
purity  of  communion ;  the  election  of  pastor  and  deacons ;  the 
order  of  worship ;  financial  arrangements ;  and  all  that  concerns 
the  internal  administration  of  the  Church. 

2.  Certain  duties  and  responsibilities  concern  Congrega- 
tional Churches  as  a  whole,  and  these  can  be  most  effectively 
fulfilled  by  a  union  of  Churches.  For  example :  Congregational 
Church  extension,  and  the  promotion  of  missionary  work  at  home 
and  abroad ;  the  assistance  of  Churches  needing  support ;  the 
introduction  to  the  ministry  of  properly  qualified  and  suitable 
men ;  the  support  of  Congregational  Colleges  in  the  training  of 
Ministers ;  the  admission  of  none  but  worthy  persons  to  the 
privileges  of  the  Denomination  and  of  The  Union ;  the  provision 
of  facilities  for  the  settlement  and  removal  of  Ministers ;  the 
adequate  support  of  the  ministry  ;  the  assistance,  when  necessary, 
of  Ministers  of  good  standing  disabled  by  age  or  infirmity ;  the 
bringing  of  Congregational  societies  and  institutions  into  closer 
connection  with  The  Union  and  with  each  other,  and  the  brotherly 

(247) 


248  APPENDIX 

cooperation  with  other  Christian  denominations  in  the  extension 
of  the  Kingdom  of  God. 

This  Preamble  is  not  exhaustive,  and  it  should  be  interpreted  in 
the  widest  sense. —  The  aim  of  this  Constitution  is  to  enable  Congre- 
gational Churches  collectively  to  fulfil  their  responsibilities  in  relation 
to  such  questions  as  are  indicated  in  the  second  paragraph. 

I. —  NAME 

The  name  of  this  Union  shall  be  The  Congregational  Union 
of  England  and  Wales,  hereinafter  called  The  Union. 

II.— CONSTITUTION 

The  Union  shall  be  a  Federation  or  Union  of  Congregational 
Churches,  which  are  connected  or  associated  with  the  County 
Unions  of  England  and  Wales  or  with  the  Union  of  Welsh  Inde- 
pendents. The  word  Church  shall  be  interpreted  as  meaning  a 
Congregational  Church  having  a  separate  roll  of  members,  and 
subscribing  to  the  funds  of  The  Union.  The  term  County 
Union  shall  be  interpreted  as  including  the  London  Union,  and 
the  English  Unions  of  North  and  South  Wales. 

III.— OBJECTS 

The  objects  of  The  Union  generally  shall  be  to  deal  with 
matters  indicated  in  the  second  paragraph  of  the  preamble,  and 
particularly — 

(i)  To  extend  and  realize  the  Kingdom  of  Christ,  primarily 
through  Churches  of  the  Congregational  order. 

(2)  To  promote  New  Testament  principles  of  Church  fel- 
lowship and  organization. 

(3)  To  strengthen  the  fraternal  relations  of  Congregational 
Churches,  and  to  facilitate  cooperation  in  everything  affecting 
their  common  interests. 

(4)  To  help  such  Churches  as  need  assistance,  and  to  stimu- 


APPENDIX  249 

late  and  support  eflForts  for  Church  Extension  and  Evangelisa- 
tion. 

(5)  To  increase  the  usefulness  of  the  County  Unions,  and 
to  coordinate  their  operations. 

(6)  To  secure  a  common  standard  of  admission  to  the  privi- 
leges and  fellowship  of  the  denomination. 

(7)  To  develop  and  organize  the  work  of   Lay  Preachers. 

(8)  To  aid  in  the  extension  of  Sunday  Schools,  Guilds,  and 
Institutes  for  Young  People. 

(9)  To  prevent  the  alienation  of  Trust  property  belonging 
to  Congregational  Churches,  Societies,  and  Institutions. 

(10)  To  maintain  correspondence  with  Congregational 
Churches  and  other  Christian  communities  throughout  the 
world. 

(11)  To  obtain  information  relating  to  Congregationalism, 
and  to  extend  its  influence  at  home  and  abroad. 

(12)  To  promote  Christian  unity;  especially  to  cooperate 
with  the  Free  Churches  in  the  maintenance  of  their  principles 
and  traditions,  and  in  collective  action  for  their  defence  and 
support. 

(13)  To  secure  perfect  religious  equality  and  moral  and 
social  reforms. 

IV.— MANAGEMENT 

The  business  of  The  Union  shall  be  under  the  direction  of  a 
General  Council,  hereinafter  called  The  Council,  presenting 
Annual  Departmental  Reports  to  a  General  Assembly,  herein- 
after called  The  Assembly,  for  confirmation. 

v.— COUNCIL 
Constitution 

(i)  The  Council  shall  consist  of  as  nearly  as  possible  three 
hundred  Representatives,  who  shall  be  members  of  Congrega- 
tional Churches,  and  shall  be  elected  annually  by  the  County 


250  APPENDIX 

Unions  with  which  they  are  connected  ;  together  with  the  Chair- 
man, ex-Chairmen,  Treasurer,  and  Secretary  (or  Secretaries)  of 
The  Union,  who  shall  be  ex-officio  members,  and  three  persons 
representative  of,  and  chosen  by,  the  Union  of  Welsh  Independ- 
ents. The  Council  thus  constituted  shall  annually  coopt  fifteen 
persons,  including  at  least  one  representative  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society,  one  of  the  Colonial  Missionary  Society,  and 
one  of  the  Congregational  Total  Abstinence  Association,  until 
that  association  shall  have  become  an  integral  part  of  The  Union. 
[//  is  suggested  that  the  Representatives  be  selected  from  the  Dele- 
gates to  the  County  Union. ^ 

(2)  The  number  eligible  by  each  County  Union  shall  bear 
the  same  proportion  to  the  number  elected,  as  the  number  of 
Churches  in  each  County  Union  bears  to  the  whole  number  of 
Churches  included  in  The  Union,  but  no  County  Union  shall 
have  fewer  than  three  representatives.  Where  possible  two- 
thirds  of  the  representatives,  but  at  least  one-half,  so  elected  shall 
be  other  than  those  who  are  pastors  of  Churches. 

(3)  Any  vacancy  arising  shall  be  filled  by  the  County  Union 
affected  thereby  or  by  its  Committee. 

(4)  The  names  of  members  elected  by  the  County  Unions 
shall  be  returned  to  the  Secretary  of  The  Union  immediately 
after  their  election. 

(5)  Each  County  Union  electing  representatives  shall  con- 
tribute to  the  funds  of  The  Union  not  less  than  the  sum  of  ten 
shillings  annually  for  each  representative  elected  {see  VIII). 

Meetings 

The  Council  shall  meet  at  least  twice  a  year  at  such  times 
and  places  as  it  may  determine.  [The  County  Unions  are  recom- 
mended to  pay  the  travelling  expenses  of  their  representatives  to  The 
Council  Meetings.^ 

Business 

The  business  of  The  Council  shall  be 


APPENDIX  251 

A. 

(i)  To  appoint  its  own  Chairman. 

(2)  To  make  By-laws  for  the  direction  and  control  of  its 
own  business,  to  define  the  duties  of  its  Committees,  and  to  fill 
up  any  vacancies  that  may  occur  among  them  during  the  year. 

(3)  To  control  the  Business  Departments  and  raise  and 
administer  the  funds  of  The  Union  in  its  behalf,  and  for  the 
furtherance  of  its  objects. 

(4)  To  arrange  religious  services  and  public  meetings  in 
connection  with  its  regular  meetings. 

B. 

(5)  To  submit  Annual  Departmental  Reports  of  its  proceed- 
ings to  The  Assembly  for  confirmation,  together  with  an  account, 
duly  audited,  of  the  receipts  and  disbursements  of  The  Union 
for  the  year. 

(6)  To  arrange  the  business  to  be  brought  before  The 
Assembly,  and  the  religious  services  and  public  meetings,  and 
the  speakers  and  readers  of  papers  in  connection  therewith. 

(7)  To  nominate  for  election  by  The  Assembly  the  following 
Officers  of  The  Union — namely.  Treasurer,  Secretary  (or  Sec- 
retaries), and  Auditors,  to  define  their  duties,  and  to  fill  up  any 
vacancies  that  may  occur  during  the  year. 

(8)  To  frame  Rules  of  Procedure  for  the  meetings  of  The 
Assembly  to  be  submitted  to  it  for  confirmation. 

(9)  To  consider  any  duly  proposed  alteration  of  the  Consti- 
tution, and  report  thereon  to  The  Assembly. 

(10)  To  consider  and  take  action  upon  resolutions  passed  by 
The  Assembly,  and  to  deal  with  such  business  as  The  Assembly 
may  assign  to  it. 

C. 

(11)  To  maintain  and  develop  the  fraternal  relations  of 
Congregational  Churches,  and  to  secure  and  direct  their  col- 
lective action  in  such  matters  as  aflfect  their  common  interests. 


252  APPENDIX 

(12)  To  initiate  such  movements  from  time  to  time  as  may 
seem  necessary  to  promote  the  progress  of  Congregationalism, 
always  securing,  wherever  possible,  the  cooperation  of  the 
County  Unions,  and  to  consider  any  matter  referred  to  it  by  the 
Churches  or  the  County  Unions. 

(13)  To  secure  as  far  as  possible  uniformity  in  the  rules  of 
the  County  Unions,  especially  as  regards  the  recognition  of 
Churches  and  the  reception  and  transfer  of  Ministers,  the  man- 
ner in  which  their  names  are  returned  to  the  Congregational 
Year  Book,  and  the  conditions  on  which  they  shall  receive  the 
privileges  of  the  denomination. 

(14)  To  consider  the  relation  of  various  Congregational 
Societies,  Colleges,  and  other  Institutions  and  Trusts  to  The 
Union,  and  to  secure  their  united  and  effective  cooperation,  and, 
where  desirable,  their  ultimate  amalgamation  with  The  Union. 
Also,  to  confer  with  the  Trustees  of  Beneficiary  Funds  connected 
with  the  denomination  with  a  view  to  promoting  the  more 
advantageous  distribution  of  those  funds. 

Committees 

For  administrative  purposes  The  Council  shall  constitute 
the  following  Committees,  and  such  others  as  may  be  found 
necessary :  — 

(i)  A  General  Purposes  Committee. 

(2)  A  Committee  for  Church  Aid  and  Home  Missions,  Lay 
Preaching,  Sustentation,  and  Superannuation.  [//  //  hoped  that 
at  an  early  date  the  work  of  the  Congregational  Church  Aid  and 
Home  Missionary  Society,  and  of  the  Congregational  Pastors'  Retir- 
ing Fund,  may  be  transferred    to  The  Union.] 

(3)  A  Committee  for  Church  Building  and  Extension.  [// 
is  hoped  that  at  an  early  date  the  work  of  the  English  Congregational 
Chapel  Building  Society  may  be  transferred  to  The  Union.'] 

(4)  A  Committee  for  Literature  and  Statistics,  including  the 
Congregational  Year  Book. 

(5)  A  Committee  for  Finance  and  the  Book-room. 


APPENDIX  253 

(6)  A  Committee  for  facilitating  Ministerial  Settlements  and 
Removals,  and  for  dealing  with  the  denominational  status  of 
Ministers. 

(7)  A  Committee  to  include  Sunday  School  and  all  other 
branches  of  Work  amongst  the  Young.  [//  is  suggested  that  the 
work  of  the  existing  Toung  People's  Union  be  transferred  to  this 
Committee.^ 

(8)  A  Committee  to  consider  all  matters  aflfecting  Primary, 
Secondary,  and  Collegiate  Education. 

(9)  A  Committee  to  promote  the  cause  of  Temperance.  [// 
i^  suggested  that  the  work  of  the  Congregational  Total  Abstinence 
Association  be  transferred  to  this  Committee.^ 

(10)  A  Committee  to  cooperate  with  other  denominations 
to  mitigate  or  prevent  the  evils  of  Overlapping. 

These  Committees  shall  be  appointed  annually.  They  shall 
report  to  The  Council  annually,  and  more  frequently  if  the  busi- 
ness requires.  The  Chairman  and  Secretary  (or  Secretaries)  of 
The  Union  and  the  Chairman  of  The  Council  shall  be  ex-officio 
Members  of  all  Committees.  The  travelling  expenses  of  Mem- 
bers attending  meetings  of  the  Committees  shall  be  paid  out  of 
the  funds  of  The  Union. 

VI.— THE  ASSEMBLY 
Constitution 

(i)  The  Assembly  shall  consist  of  Members  of  The  Council, 
Ministers  and  Representatives  of  Churches  connected  with 
County  Unions,  and  subscribing  to  the  funds  of  The  Union, 
the  Principals  of  recognized  Congregational  Colleges  and 
Honorary  Members  as  constituted  by  Section  (6). 

(2)  The  Minister  or  each  of  the  Ministers  of  every  Church 
connected  with  a  County  Union  and  subscribing  to  the  funds  of 
The  Union  shall  be  ex-officio  a  Member. 

(3)  Every  such  Church  may  annually  elect  Representatives 
in  the  proportion  of  one  to  every  hundred  Members  or  part  of  a 


254  APPENDIX 

hundred,  but  no  Church  shall  appoint  more  than  four  Represen- 
tatives. [//  is  suggested  that  the  Representatives  be  selected  from 
the  Delegates  to  the  County  Union.'] 

(4)  The  minimum  Annual  Subscription  shall  be,  from  each 
Church  with  a  membership — 

Under  50 5/- 

50  and  under  100 10/- 

100  and  under  150 15/- 

150  and  under  200 20/- 

and  five  shillings  for  every  additional  50  Members  {see  VIII.) » 
but  The  Council  shall  have  power  to  reduce  the  Annual  Sub- 
scription in  exceptional  cases. 

(5)  The  names  of  Representatives  elected  by  the  Churches 
shall  be  returned  to  the  Secretary  of  The  Union  on  or  before 
the  last  day  of  January  in  each  year. 

(6)  Honorary  Members,  being  members  of  Congregational 
Churches,  shall  be  eligible  from  among  the  following  and  others: 

(0  Ministers  retired  or  without  pastoral  charge.  Professors 
of  recognized  Congregational  Colleges,  and  duly  accredited 
Evangelists  and  Lay  Pastors. 

(«■)  Duly  accredited  Ministers  and  Representatives  of  Con- 
gregational Churches  in  the  Colonies,  and  Missionaries  of  the 
London  Missionary  Society. 

Honorary  Members  shall  be  competent  to  speak  but  not  to 
vote  at  the  meetings  of  The  Assembly. 

Meetings 

The  Assembly  shall  meet  at  least  twice  a  year,  the  Annual 
meeting  to  be  held  in  London,  and  the  Autumnal  Meeting  at 
some  city  or  town  in  England  or  Wales  as  The  Council  may 
arrange.  The  meetings  shall  be  arranged  so  as  to  provide 
opportunities  for — 

(i)  Devotional  exercises,  and  addresses  on  Christian  Life 
and  Service. 


APPENDIX  255 

(2)  The  free  interchange  of  opinion  on  ecclesiastical,  theo- 
logical, moral,  and  social  subjects. 

(3 )  The  reception  of  deputations  from  Congregational  Unions 
in  other  parts  of  the  world,  from  public  bodies  and  others  as 
may  be  arranged  by  The  Council. 

Business  Meetings 

The  business  of  The  Assembly  at  its  Annual  Meeting 
shall  be — 

(i)  To  elect  a  Chairman  of  The  Union  for  the  period  of  one 
year  from  the  ist  of  January  next  ensuing  {see  VII.). 

(2)  To  elect,  on  the  nomination  of  The  Council,  the  follow- 
ing officers  of  The  Union — namely,  Treasurer,  Secretary  (or 
Secretaries),  and  Auditors. 

(3)  To  appoint  a  Reference  Committee  consisting  of  seven 
members  of  The  Assembly,  and  the  Secretary  (or  Secretaries)  of 
The  Union,  to  which  shall  be  referred  any  matter  that  may  arise, 
not  comprised  in  the  programme,  for  advice  as  to  whether  it 
should  come  before  The  Assembly,  and  if  so,  in  what  form. 

(4)  To  receive  Annual  Departmental  Reports  of  the  pro- 
ceedings of  The  Council  for  confirmation,  with  audited  accounts, 
and  to  take  any  action  thereon. 

(5)  To  elect  on  the  nomination  of  The  Council  the  Hon- 
orary Members  for  the  ensuing  year. 

(6)  To  consider  matters  submitted  to  it  by  The  Council. 

(7)  To  express  the  convictions  of  The  Assembly  on  matters 
of  public  importance. 

VII.— THE   CHAIRMAN  OF  THE   UNION 

(i)  There  shall  be  elected  annually  a  Chairman  of  The 
Union,  who  shall  hold  office  for  one  year  from  the  ist  of 
January  following  his  election.  He  may  be  nominated  by  The 
Council,  or  by  any  County  Union  in  General  Meeting  assembled, 
or  by  any  twenty-five  Members  of  The  Assembly  acting  jointly. 


256  APPENDIX 

(2)  Every  nomination  of  the  Chairman  shall  be  communi- 
cated to  the  Secretary  of  The  Union  not  later  than  March  31st 
in  each  year. 

(3)  Voting  papers  containing  the  names  of  persons  duly 
nominated  for  Chairman  shall  be  furnished  to  each  Member  of 
The  Assembly  at  least  fourteen  days  previous  to  the  Annual 
Meeting. 

(4)  The  election  shall  be  by  ballot,  and  without  discussion, 
and  every  Member  of  The  Assembly  (Honorary  Members 
excepted)  may  send  his  voting  paper  sealed  to  the  Secretary,  or 
deliver  it  at  the  Annual  Meeting. 

(5)  If,  as  a  result  of  the  first  ballot,  no  one  shall  have 
received  a  majority  of  the  votes  of  the  Members  voting,  further 
ballots  by  those  present  at  the  Annual  Meeting  (Honorary 
Members  excepted)  shall  be  taken  with  a  view  to  obtain  a 
majority. 

(6)  Should  no  election  take  place  at  the  Annual  Meeting,  or 
should  the  Chairman  die,  resign,  or  become  incapacitated  for  the 
duties  of  his  office,  the  vacancy  so  caused  shall  be  filled  by  The 
Council. 

VIII.— PAYMENT  OF  SUBSCRIPTIONS 

All  subscriptions  to  the  funds  of  The  Union  (see  V.  5  and 
VI.  4)  shall  be  payable  in  advance,  and  become  due  on  the  first 
day  of  January  in  each  year.  The  Secretary  of  The  Union 
shall  communicate  with  all  who  have  not  paid  their  subscriptions 
before  the  31st  day  of  that  month.  Any  County  Union  or 
Church  failing  for  two  years  to  pay  the  subscription  due  shall, 
after  proper  notice,  be  deemed  ineligible  to  be  represented  on 
The  Council  or  in  The  Assembly. 

IX.— NOTICE  OF  MEETINGS 

Notice  of  all  meetings  of  The  Council  and  of  The  Assembly 
shall  be  furnished  by  the  Secretary  of  The  Union  to  every  mem- 


APPENDIX  257 

ber  thereof  at  least  a  fortnight  before  the  meetings,  and  such 
notice  shall  contain  a  statement  of  the  principal  business  for 
consideration. 

X.— ALTERATION  OF  CONSTITUTION 

This  Constitution  shall  not  be  altered  except  at  a  Meeting  of 
The  Assembly  specially  called  for  the  purpose,  and  by  a  majority 
of  two-thirds  present  and  voting.  Notice  of  any  proposed 
alteration  must  be  sent  to  the  Secretary  of  The  Union  six  weeks 
before  the  meeting  of  The  Assembly,  and  he  shall  give  notice  of 
the  same  to  every  Member  at  least  one  month  before  the  meet- 
ing. Prior  to  the  meeting  of  The  Assembly,  The  Council  or  its 
General  Purposes  Committee  shall  consider  any  duly  proposed 
alteration  and  report  thereon. 


APPENDIX  L 

CONGREGATIONAL  HOME  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY 

CONSTITUTION 

With  Proposed  Amendments  Incorporated 
(//fl/ia  indicate  the  proposed  changes  in  the  Constitution.    Paren- 
theses indicate  the  words  and  clauses  of  the  old  Constitution  omitted 
in  the  proposed  Constitution.) 

ARTICLE  I.— NAME 

This  Society  shall  be  called  the  Congregational  Home  Mis- 
sionary Society. 

ARTICLE  II.— OBJECT 

The  object  of  this  Society  shall  be  to  assist  the  Home  Mis- 
sionary Societies  that  exist  in  many  States  of  the  Union  in  their  zvork, 
to  aid  congregations  that  are  unable  to  support  the  Gospel  min- 
istry, and,  in  general,  to  send  the  Gospel  and  the  means  of 
Christian  education  to  the  destitute  within  the  United  States  and 
the  West  Indies. 

ARTICLE  III.— MEMBERSHIP 

The  members  of  this  Society  shall  consist  of  honorary  life 
members,  life  members,  members  elected  by  the  Home  Missionary 
Societies  of  the  several  states  (churches)  and  the  officials  of  the 
Society  during  their  respective  terms  of  office. 

(i)  Any  person  chosen  as  President,  Vice-President,  Re- 
cording Secretary,  Treasurer,  Corresponding  Secretary,  Auditor, 

(258) 


APPENDIX  259 

or  member  of  the  Executive  Committee  shall  be  a  voting  mem- 
ber during  the  term  of  his  service. 

(2)  Life  members  appearing  on  the  roll  at  the  date  of  the 
passage  of  this  article  shall  retain  their  voting  right,  unless  it  be 
voluntarily  surrendered. 

(3)  The  Congregational  Churches  of  this  country  shall  be 
represented  in  the  voting  membership  of  this  Society  by  members 
elected  in  number  and  manner  as  follows : 

Each  State  (Association  or  Conference  of  Churches)  Home 
Missionary  Society  may  elect  three  members,  and  in  addition,  one 
member  for  every  5,000  church  members  within  the  State. 

At  the  first  election  by  the  State  (Associations  or  Confer- 
ences) Society  one-third  of  the  members  shall  be  elected  for  one 
year,  one-third  for  two  years,  and  one-third  for  three  years;  and 
thereafter  one-third  shall  be  elected  each  year  for  a  term  of  three 
years.  In  any  year  the  State  (bodies)  Societies  may  elect  members 
to  fill  vacancies. 

It  is  recommended  that  the  number  of  members  be  in  all 
cases  divided  between  ministers  and  laymen  as  nearly  equally  as 
is  practicable. 

(4)  Honorary  Life  Members. — Any  person  on  whose  behalf 
fifty  dollars  shall  be  paid  into  the  treasury  of  this  Society,  or  into 
the  treasury  of  any  of  (its  Auxiliaries)  the  State  Societies  at  any 
one  time,  accompanied  by  a  request  for  honorary  life  membership, 
shall  be  an  honorary  life  member  with  all  the  privileges  of  mem- 
bership, except  voting. 

ARTICLE  IV.— OFFICERS 

The  Officers  of  this  Society  shall  be  a  President,  (ten)  a  Vice- 
President  (s),  a  Treasurer,  an  Auditor,  (one  or  more)  a  Sec- 
retary (Secretaries  for  Correspondence),  one  or  more  Assistant 
Secretaries,  a  Recording  Secretary,  a  Board  of  Directors  and  an 
Executive  Committee  [of  fifteen,  of  whom  twelve  shall  be  resi- 
dents of  New  York  City  or  vicinity.    Neither  the  Treasurer  nor 


26o  APPENDIX 

the  Secretaries   for  Correspondence  shall   be  members  of   the 
Executive  Committee]. 

ARTICLE  v.— ELECTIONS 

(i)  The  President,  Vice-President  (s),  Auditor,  and  Re- 
cording Secretary  shall  be  elected  by  ballot,  annually,  by  the 
Society  at  the  annual  meeting.  [The  Treasurer  and  as  many 
Secretaries  for  Correspondence  as  shall  be  needed  shall  be  elected 
annually  by  the  Executive  Committee.  The  Executive  Com- 
mittee shall  be  arranged  in  five  divisions  of  three  each;  one 
division  shall  be  elected  by  ballot  by  the  Society  each  year  at  the 
annual  meeting,  to  serve  for  five  years,  and  the  members  elected 
shall  be  ineligible  for  a  reelection  for  one  year  after  the  close  of 
their  term ;  vacancies  existing  in  any  other  division  may  also  be 
filled  at  each  annual  meeting.] 

(2)  The  Secretary  and  the  Treasurer  shall  be  elected  annually 
by  the  ^oard  of  Directors. 

(3)  The  Board  of  Directors ^  which  shall  consist  of  ttventy-one 
members,  one  representative  from  each  Constituent  State  Society,  the 
President,  ex-officio,  and  six  directors  at  large,  as  hereinafter  pro- 
vided, shall  be  elected  at  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Society  as  follows : 

(a)  Each  Constituent  State  Society,  by  such  method  as  it  may 
elect,  may  send  in  one  nomination  for  membership  in  the  Board,  as  a 
representative  of  said  State,  and  the  name  so  chosen  shall  be  presented 
by  the  Nominating  Committee  for  election  by  the  Society. 

(b)  There  shall  be  six  directors  elected  at  large,  at  least  two  of 
whom  shall  be  from  Cooperating  States;  and  all  of  whom  shall  be 
nominated  by  the  Nominating  Committee.  In  the  original  election  of 
directors  at  large,  there  being  at  that  time  no  Cooperating  States, 
two  of  the  six  directors  at  large  shall  be  chosen  from  States  hitherto 
known  as  dependent. 

{c)  The  President  of  the  Society,  ex-officio,  shall  be  a  member  of 
the  Board  of  Directors  and  shall  be  its  chairman. 

(d)  The  Secretary  shall  be  an  honorary  member  of  the  Board, 


APPENDIX  261 

without  vote,  and  shall  be  expected  to  be  present  at  all  except  execu- 
tive sessions, 

{e)  When  any  director  shall  have  held  office  for  seven  successive 
years  he  shall  be  for  one  year  ineligible  for  reelection. 

(4.)  An  Executive  Committee  of  nine  members  shall  be  ap- 
pointed by  the  Board  of  Directors  at  the  Annual  Meeting.  The 
Secretary,  ex-officio,  shall  be  a  member  of  this  committee  and  its  chair- 
man. The  remaining  eight  members  shall  serve  in  terms  of  two  years 
each,  and  at  the  expiration  of  three  full  terms  a  member  shall  be  for 
one  year  ineligible  for  reelection.  At  the  first  appointment  of  this 
committee  four  members  shall  be  appointed  for  one  year,  and  four  for 
two  years.  At  least  four  of  the  members  of  the  committee,  beside  the 
Secretary,  shall  be  chosen  from  the  members  of  the  Board  of  Directors. 
The  membership  of  the  Board  of  Directors  and  of  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee shall  be  divided  as  equally  as  practicable  between  ministers 
and  laymen. 

ii)  A  Nominating  Committee  of  seven  shall  be  elected  at  the 
Annual  Meeting  on  nomination  by  the  Nominating  Committee  of  the 
preceding  year,  three  members  of  said  committee  to  hold  over  each 
year,  but  no  member  to  hold  office  for  more  than  two  successive  years, 
care  being  taken  to  see  that  the  different  sections  of  the  country  are 
recognized  in  this  committee,  as  far  as  practicable. 

(6)  One  or  more  Assistant  Secretaries,  as  may  be  needed,  shall 
be  appointed  annually  by  the  Board  of  Directors  on  the  nomination  of 
the  Executive  Committee. 

ARTICLE   VI.— VOTERS 

All  members  elected  by  the  churches  through  their  State  So- 
cieties (Associations  or  Conferencesj  as  herein  provided,  bringing 
proper  credentials,  and  life  members  and  officers  of  the  Society, 
who  shall  be  present  and  cause  their  names  to  be  registered  upon 
a  roll  to  be  made  at  each  annual  or  other  meeting  of  this  So- 
ciety by  the  Recording  Secretary,  and  no  other  persons,  shall 
have  the  right  to  vote  at  the  annual  election,  and  in  annual  or 
other  meetings  of  the  Society  upon  questions  there  arising. 


262  APPENDIX 

ARTICLE  VII.— THE   PRESIDENT  AND  VICE-PRESIDENT  (s) 

It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  President  to  preside  at  all  meetings 
of  the  Society.  In  his  absence  [one  of]  the  Vice-President  (s) 
shall  preside.  In  the  absence  of  both  (all)  of  these,  any  member 
of  the  Society,  duly  chosen,  may  preside  at  any  meeting  of  the 
Society. 

ARTICLE  VIII.— THE   TREASURER 

The  Treasurer  shall  receive  and  have  personal  charge  of  all 
funds  from  collections,  legacies,  or  other  sources,  which  are 
designed  for  the  current  expenses  of  the  Society,  and  the  custody 
of  its  trust  funds,  and  shall  keep  them  in  such  depositories  as 
may  be  designated  by  the  ^oard  of  Directors  (Executive  Com- 
mittee) and  shall  disburse  the  same  as  said  Board  and  its  (the) 
Executive  Committee  shall  direct.  He  shall  give  bonds  annually 
for  such  amount  as  the  Board  of  Directors  (Executive  Committee) 
shall  determine  and  shall  conduct  the  correspondence  and  other 
business  of  his  ofiice  under  the  general  supervision  of  the  Board 
of  Directors  and  its  Executive  Committee. 

ARTICLE  IX.— THE  AUDITOR 

It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Auditor  [to  examine  and  certify 
the  correctness  of  the  Treasurer's  accounts]  prior  to  each  Annual 
Meeting,  to  examine  the  Treasurer's  vouchers,  books  and  accounts, 
and  all  certificates  of  stocks,  bonds  and  other  securities  held  by  the 
Treasurer,  and  check  all  investments  of  the  Funds  of  the  Society,  and 
certify  to  the  correctness  of  the  same. 

ARTICLE  X. —  THE    SECRETARY  (SECRETARIES  FOR 
CORRESPONDENCE) 

The  Secretary  of  the  Society,  with  the  aid  of  his  Assistant  Secre- 
tary or  Assistant  Secretaries  (the  Secretaries  for  Correspondence), 
shall  conduct  all  correspondence  relating  to  the  office ;  he  shall 


APPENDIX  263 

strive  to  work  in  closest  sympathy  with  the  State  Societies  and  their 
Secretaries  or  Superintendents',  he  (they)  shall  make  known  by- 
personal  presentation,  correspondence  and  otherwise,  to  State 
and  local  Associations  and  Conferences,  to  churches  and  indi- 
viduals, the  object  and  claims  of  the  Society  and  its  component 
State  Societies,  and  shall  have  charge  and  direction  of  the  work  of 
the  Society  under  the  general  supervision  of  the  Board  of  Di- 
rectors and  its  Executive  Committee.  He  shall  present  the  minutes 
of  the  Executive  Committee  and  all  its  transactions  to  the  Board  of 
Directors  at  each  of  its  meetings;  he  (they)  shall  prepare  the  yearly 
report  of  the  Board  of  Directors  (Executive  Committee)  for  the 
Annual  Meeting  of  the  Society,  and  submit  the  same  for  adoption 
at  a  meeting  of  the  Board  or  of  its  Executive  Committee,  as  the  Board 
may  direct  (by  the  Committee),  prior  to  the  said  Annual Mt^ting. 
He  shall  be  an  honorary  member  of  the  Board  of  Directors  and  shall 
attend  all  its  meetings  except  the  executive  sessions. 

ARTICLE  XI.— THE  RECORDING  SECRETARY 

The  Recording  Secretary  shall  keep  a  record  of  all  meetings 
and  proceedings  of  the  Society,  and  at  each  annual  or  other  meet- 
ing of  the  Society  shall  make  up  a  roll  of  persons  entitled  to  vote 
at  such  a  meeting,  as  provided  in  Article  VI. 

ARTICLE    XII.  — THE    BOARD    OF    DIRECTORS    AND    ITS    EX- 
ECUTIVE  COMMITTEE 

(i)  The  Board  of  Directors,  subject  only  to  the  review  and 
judgment  of  the  Society  at  its  Annual  Meeting,  shall  have  the  man- 
agement of  all  the  property  and  business  of  the  corporation,  except 
as  herein  otherwise  provided.  It  shall  hold  at  least  two  meetings 
annually,  and  special  meetings  may  be  called  at  any  time  by  the 
President  and  three  directors  on  ten  days'  notice.  Nine  members  shall 
constitute  a  quorum  for  the  transaction  of  business.  Its  annual  meet- 
ing shall  be  held  at  the  time  of  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Society^ 


264  APPENDIX 

after  its  appointment  at  that  meetings  and  on  the  call  of  the  Secretary. 
At  this  meeting  the  Board  shall  appoint  the  Secretary^  Treasurer^ 
the  Superintendents  in  the  Cooperating  States,  the  Missionary  District, 
etc.,  shall  elect  its  Executive  Committee  for  the  ensuing  year  and 
transact  any  other  appropriate  business.  Its  other  stated  meeting  shall 
be  on  the  Wednesday  after  the  third  Sunday  of  January.  At  this 
meeting  it  shall  determine  the  apportionment  of  Home  Missionary 
funds  among  all  the  States,  whether  Constituent,  Cooperating  or 
Missionary,  and  other  related  matters,  and  pass  upon  any  questions 
involving  the  comprehensive  work  or  administration  of  the  Society.  It 
shall  assemble  as  far  as  possible  State  Secretaries,  Superintendents  in 
Cooperating  States  and  such  other  representatives  of  State  Societies 
as  may  be  by  said  Societies  appointed,  in  order  that  the  needs  and 
opportunities  in  each  of  these  States  may  be  thoroughly  presented  to  the 
Board. 

Any  and  all  real  estate  acquired  by  the  Congregational  Home 
Missionary  Society,  either  by  gift,  devise,  or  purchase,  may  be 
sold  by  the  (Executive  Committee)  Board  of  Directors,  pursuant 
to  a  resolution  therefor  adopted  at  any  meeting  of  said  (Com- 
mittee) Toard  regularly  convened  at  such  price  and  upon  such 
terms  as  it  shall  deem  proper,  and  by  such  form  of  conveyance 
as  it  shall  approve.  The  Treasurer  of  the  Society  and  the  Presi- 
dent, or  some  member  (the  chairman)  of  the  (Executive  Committee) 
Board  of  Directors,  duly  appointed  for  that  purpose,  shall  make, 
execute,  and  deliver  to  any  purchaser  or  purchasers  of  such  real 
estate  so  sold  all  necessary  deeds  or  other  instruments  of  con- 
veyance thereof ;  and  upon  any  such  sale  being  made  said  offi- 
cers are  hereby  authorized  and  empowered  to  affix  the  common 
seal  of  this  Society  thereto,  and  to  execute,  acknowledge,  and 
deliver  the  said  deeds  or  other  instruments  as  the  free  act  and 
deed  of  this  Society. 

(2) — The  'Board  of  Directors  may  prescribe  suitable  regulations 
for  the  affairs  of  the  Executive  Committee,  and  may  delegate  to  the 
Executive  Committee,  by  vote,  any  of  the  powers  given  to  the  Board 
of  Directors,  including  the  power  to  sell  and  convey  real  estate.    The 


APPENDIX  265 

Executive  Committee  shall,  for  the  time  being,  except  as  limited  by 
vote  of  the  Directors,  have  and  exercise  all  the  powers  of  the  Board 
of  Directors  in  the  management  of  the  business  and  affairs  of  the 
corporation,  and  it  may  authorize  the  seal  of  the  corporation  to  be 
affixed  to  all  such  contracts,  papers  and  documents  as  may  require  it. 
The  Executive  Committee  shall  keep  a  record  of  its  proceedings, 
which  shall  be  at  any  time  open  to  the  inspection  of  any  member  of  the 
Board  of  Directors,  and  shall,  semi-annually,  present  a  detailed 
report  of  its  doings,  including  the  minutes  of  its  meetings,  to  the  Board 
of  Directors.  [The  Executive  Committee  shall  have  power  to 
appoint  its  own  meetings  ;  form  its  own  rules  of  business  ;  fill 
any  vacancies  in  its  membership  which  may  occur  during  the 
year,  until  the  next  annual  meeting ;  convene  special  meetings 
of  the  Society ;  have  general  supervision  of  the  work  of  the 
Society  ;  appoint  missionaries  and  superintendents,  and  instruct 
them  as  to  the  field  and  manner  of  their  labors.  It  shall  have 
entire  control  and  management  of  all  moneys,  securities,  and 
property  of  every  description  belonging  to  the  Society  ;  shall 
create  such  agencies  as  the  interests  of  the  Society  shall  require ; 
shall  elect  treasurers  and  secretaries  for  correspondence  as 
vacancies  shall  occur,  and  make  an  annual  report  of  its  proceed- 
ings to  the  Society.  Four  members  of  the  Executive  Committee 
shall  constitute  a  quorum  for  the  transaction  of  all  business  at 
any  meeting  regularly  convened,  but  at  a  meeting  for  the  elec- 
tion of  a  Treasurer  or  Corresponding  Secretary  two-thirds  of 
the  Executive  Committee  must  be  present.] 

ARTICLE  XIII.      THE  NOMINATING  COMMITTEE 

The  Nominating  Committee  shall,  at  each  Annual  Meeting, 
present  a  printed  ballot  containing  nominations  for  President,  Vice- 
President,  Recording  Secretary,  Auditor,  and  members  of  the  'Board 
of  Directors,  in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  this  Constitution. 


266  APPENDIX 

ARTICLE  XIV.      [auxiliaries] 

[Any  State  Missionary  Society  may  become  auxiliary  to  this 
Society  by  paying  into  the  Treasury  of  this  Society  its  surplus 
funds,  and  sending  to  the  Secretaries  for  Correspondence  a 
copy  of  its  constitution  and  its  annual  reports,  mentioning  the 
names  of  its  missionaries  and  the  fields  of  their  operations.] 

CONSTITUENT  AND  CO-OPERATING  STATES 

For  the  purpose  of  electing  the  'Board  of  Directors,  and  in  the 
carrying  on  of  the  work  of  the  Society,  the  States,  except  those  included 
in  the  missionary  districts  defined  in  Article  XFL,  shall  be  divided 
into  two  classes,  which  shall  be  called  Constituent  and  Cooperating 
States,  respectively. 

(i) — A  Constituent  State  shall  be  one  which  has  organized  and 
incorporated  a  State  Home  Missionary  Society ;  has  determined  with 
the  approval  of  the  'Board  of  Directors  of  the  C.  H.  M.  S.  to  under- 
take self-support ;  has  entered  into  an  agreement  with  said  Board 
similar  to  that  adopted  by  other  Constituent  States  relative  to  expendi- 
tures within  the  State,  and  the  proportion  of  its  funds  to  be  set  aside 
for  the  C.  H.  M.  S.;  has  agreed  to  cooperate  with  all  other  Con- 
stituent States  through  the  Board  of  Directors  in  furthering  the  work 
and  enlarging  the  resources  of  the  C.  H.  M.  S.,  and  to  send  at  the 
close  of  the  fiscal  year,  April  I,  a  complete  account  of  its  receipts  and 
expenditures  for  the  preceding  year  to  the  Treasurer  of  the 
C.  H.  M.  S.,  that  these  may  be  incorporated  in  the  Annual  Report  of 
the  National  Society.  Any  Constituent  State  failing  for  three  succes- 
sive years  to  discharge  its  obligations  to  the  C.  H.  M.  S.,  as  defined 
by  the  Board  of  Directors,  shall  thereafter  cease  to  be  a  Constituent 
State  until  restored  by  vote  of  the  Board.  In  the  original  organiza- 
tion under  the  new  plan,  it  shall  be  understood  that  all  states  hitherto 
considered  auxiliary  shall  be  considered,  de  facto,  Constituent  States, 
subject  to  the  conditions  named  above,  so  far  as  they  apply. 

{2)— A   Cooperating  State   shall  be  one  which,  though    unable 


APPENDIX  267 

to  undertake  self-support,  is  strong  enough  to  raise  a  considerable 
proportion  of  the  total  sum  required  for  home  missionary  work  within 
its  borders  ;  has  organized  and  incorporated  a  State  Home  Missionary 
Society  with  the  approval  of  the  ^oard  of  Directors  of  the  C.  H.  M. 
S.;  has  entered  into  definite  agreement  with  said  Board  as  to  the 
proportion  of  expenditures  within  the  state  to  be  raised  by  the  state 
itself y  has  pledged  its  utmost  endeavor  in  advancing  the  work,  both 
in  the  state  and  in  the  nation,  and  whose  application  to  be  entitled 
a  Cooperating  State  has  been  approved  by  the  Board  of  Directors 
of  the  C.  H.  M.  S.  Any  Cooperating  State  failing  for  three  suc- 
cessitfe  years  to  discharge  its  obligations  to  the  C.  H.  M.  S.,  as 
defined  by  the  'Board  of  Directors,  shall  thereafter  cease  to  be  a 
Cooperating  State  until  restored  by  vote  of  the  Board. 

ARTICLE  XV.     AUXILIARY  CITY  MISSIONARY  SOCIETIES 

Any  Church  Extension  or  City  Missionary  Society,  in  a  city  of 
200,000  population  or  upwards,  may  become  auxiliary  to  the  C.  H. 
M.  S.  when  its  application  for  this  relationship  shall  be  approved 
by  the  ^oard  of  Directors  of  the  C.  H.  M.  S.,  a  condition  of  such 
approval  being  an  agreement  by  said  City  Missionary  Society  to 
report  April  i,  its  receipts  and  expenditures  for  the  preceding  twelve 
months,  that  the  same  may  be  incorporated  in  the  report  of  the 
National  Society.  The  C.  H.  M.  S.  shall  encourage  and  aid  the 
work  of  such  Societies  wherever  the  National  voice  will  strengthen 
the  local  effort;  it  shall  seek  to  gather  special  funds  for  this  im- 
portant field  of  missionary  operation  from  which  it  shall  make  grants 
to  these  Auxiliary  City  Missionary  Societies,  it  being  understood  that 
such  grants  shall  be  made  only  when,  in  the  judgment  of  the  Execu- 
tive Committee,  the  City  Missionary  Society  has  done  all  in  its 
power,  and  only  to  meet  such  special  emergencies  as  justify  such 
assistance. 

ARTICLE  XVI.      MISSIONARY  DISTRICTS 

All  States  and  Territories,  within  which  no  State  Home  Mission- 
ary Society  has  been  organized  under  conditions  which  the  Board 


268  APPENDIX 

af  Directors  approves ^  and  all  such  sections  of  the  population^ 
especially  those  speaking  a  foreign  language^  in  which  the  State  So- 
cieties agree  that  the  Board  of  Directors  and  the  officers  of  their 
National  Society  shall  operate  directly  as  a  missionary  agency,  shall 
be  known  as  Missionary  T>istricts.  In  these  districts  the  Board  of 
Directors  and  its  Executive  Committee  shall  have  power  to  appoint 
superintendents,  to  employ  missionaries,  to  establish  churches;  and  on 
this  work  they  shall  report  fully  at  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Society. 
It  shall  be  the  constant  aim  of  the  'Board  of  Directors,  its  Executive 
Committee,  and  its  officers,  so  to  promote  the  growth  of  Congrega- 
tional churches  in  these  Missionary  Districts  that,  in  the  case  of  the 
said  States,  approved  State  Societies  may  be  established,  and,  in  the 
case  of  said  sections  of  the  population,  individual  churches  may  be 
brought  into  such  a  condition,  especially  through  the  adoption  of  the 
English  language  in  their  public  worship  and  Sunday  Schools,  that 
they  may  be  passed  under  the  care  of  the  Home  Missionary  Society  in 
the  States  to  which  they  severally  belong. 

ARTICLE  XVII.      MEETINGS 

This  Society  shall  meet  annually  at  such  time  and  place  in 
the  United  States  as  it  shall  appoint,  or  on  failure  of  such 
appointment,  as  the  ^oard  of  'Directors  (Executive  Committee) 
may,  with  due  notice,  appoint  (direct). 

ARTICLE  XVIII.     AMENDMENTS 

No  alteration  shall  be  made  in  this  Constitution  without  a 
vote  of  two-thirds  of  the  members  present  and  voting  at  an 
Annual  Meeting,  nor  unless  the  same  shall  have  been  proposed 
in  writing  at  a  previous  Annual  Meeting,  or  shall  be  recom- 
mended by  the  'Board  of  'Directors  (Executive  Committee). 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 


AN  INITIAL  FINE  OF  25  CENTS 

WILL  BE  ASSESSED  FOR  FAILURE  TO  RETURN 
THIS  BOOK  ON  THE  DATE  DUE.  THE  PENALTY 
WILL  INCREASE  TO  SO  CENTS  ON  THE  FOURTH 
DAY  AND  TO  $1.00  ON  THE  SEVENTH  DAY 
OVERDUE. 


^ 


FEB  17  1939 


FEB  18 


U39 


19Mav'53vVv' 


3Nov'5SVl 


''f''t9'^1956 


MAR  2  8  fggB  ly 


NOVl  e  1953  LU 


^h^552X- 


JUL2  31955LIJ 


l9Mar'56K0 


32Tr23_ 


LD  21-95m.7,'37 


YB  29213 


283104 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


